THE inquest into fireman Muhammad Adib Mohd Kassim’s death is slowly gaining momentum after one witness claimed to have seen him before he was taken to the hospital for treatment.

He was gravely injured in the riots at the Seafield Sri Maha Mariamman temple in Subang Jaya, Selangor, last November.

AirAsia trainee steward Amirul Adli Yussli told the Shah Alam coroners’ court yesterday that he saw a fireman clutching his chest while sitting on a road shoulder near the temple during the riots.

Amirul, who was the fourth witness in the inquest which seeks to determine the cause of Adib’s death, said he did not see any visible bruises on the 24-year-old fireman.

He then told the coroner that he couldn’t help Adib as his car was damaged by a reversing fire truck.

Amirul said he then saw a group of men taking Adib away, which he presumed to be the hospital.

Today, Subang Jaya Fire and Rescue Department operations chief Badrul Hisham Salem is expected to continue with his testimony.

Yesterday, he told the coroner that there was no communication between a fire truck and an Emergency Medical Response Services van which Adib was in during the commotion.

He said that the area near the temple was a “blindspot” and their communication devices were down.

Badrul said that was the reason they couldn’t contact Adib or his partner who was in the EMRS.

He said that they only found out that Adib was missing when they arrived at the USJ 8 police station to lodge a report over the incident.

The Malaysian Insight is carrying the proceedings live.

4pm: As the mob approached the truck, Sharol says he heard people giving them orders to attack them.

“Yes, I heard them shouting ‘jangan padam, pukul Bomba’ (dont put it out, hit Bomba).”

Adib’s family’s lawyer, Mohamad Kamaruzaman A. Wahab, then asks Sharol how he felt at the time. 

Sharol says he felt afraid for his life. 

Today’s session of the inquiry ends and will continue tomorrow.

3.45pm: Sharol, who says he managed to get back into the vehicle, added that the EMRS van had been surrounded by rioters as the truck was reversing beside it.

The DPP then asks Sharol whether they were attacking the van. 

Sharol says he is unsure but that he could still hear a ruckus outside the vehicle.

3.30pm: Sharol says they were warned by the mob not to put out the fire or they will be beaten.

The DPP asks Sharol how many times the crowd warned them, to which the fireman says a few.

The DPP then asks if he had seen the people who warned them.

3.05pm: The inquest resumes with fireman Mohd Sharol Anuar Kamarudin being called to the witness stand.

The DPP asks Sharol what happened when they arrived at the scene.

Sharol says he jumped out of the truck when they reached the scene and was then approached by three individuals.

“They had a sepak takraw pole, a long rod that look like a samurai sword.”

The DPP asks Sharol how many people were there.

He said there were about 100 people.

1.15pm: Lawyer Shazlin Mansor, who is representing the Housing and Local Government Ministry, the Fire and Rescue Department and Adib’s family, asks if there was police presence when they arrived at the scene.

Hazim says there wasn’t.

Shazlin asks Hazim if people approached the van because of the lack of police presence, to which Hazim agrees.

The lawyer then asks if Hazim could see who was in front of the van when he was in it.

Hazim says he couldn’t see in front as there was a barrier with only an A4-size opening with a tinted sliding window.

“I also couldn’t see outside as the windows were tinted and was blocked by a EMRS sticker.”

The inquest breaks for lunch.

1.05pm: Adib’s family lawyer asks Hazim whether Adib’s door was open when he was getting in the EMRS van.

Hazim says Adib’s door was closed at that time.

“I am very sure if Adib was out of the van as I was getting in, I would have noticed as he would be in uniform.

“I also didn’t see him outside the van.”

The DPP then asks if there were helmets in the van when it turned.

Hazim replies in the affirmative.

12.55pm: Adib’s family lawyer asks Hazim if he had heard anyone trying to open the door when he was hidden in the EMRS van.

Hazim says he wasn’t sure what was happening outside at the time.

The lawyer then asks if he attempted to communicate with the driver and other passengers of the EMRS van.

Hazim says he didn’t as there was a barrier between them.

12.40pm: Adib’s family lawyer asks Hazim how many distress calls did they received.  

Hazim said that they received two distress calls about burning cars near the temple.

The lawyer says Hazim earlier said he was chased and asks what made him think that he was being chased.

Hazim said that there were people knocking the fire engine and then one person from the group came running towards him.

“That’s why I assumed that he was chasing me and ran to the van to save my life.”

12.25pm: The DPP asks Hazim why did he go to the EMRS van.

Hazim says he felt that his life was being threatened and that was why he hid in the van.

The DPP then asks Hazim what happened when they arrived at the police station.

Hazim replies that station fireman Shahril, who was driving the van, was shocked to see him.

“He was shocked and asked me where was Adib. I said that I didn’t know.

“When we did the roll call, he was also not there.”

12.15pm: The DPP asks Hazim if Adib left the van and if he was sitting on the left side of the van.

Hazim says Adib was in the van.

“Yes, he didn’t leave the van.”

The DPP then asks what had happened when the van reversed and if he felt it shaking.

Hazim says he heard a lot of noise at that time and the van was being rocked.

“I felt the van turning around and the back windscreen shattered.”

12.05pm: The DPP asks Hazim if he knew why the van reversed.

Hazim says he felt the van moving backwards.

The DPP then asks Hazim how was the condition of the van’s door before he entered and if it was intact.

Hazim said the van’s door was closed and he had to open it to enter.  

11.45am: The DPP asks Hazim what had happened when they arrived at the scene of the burning car.

Hazim says he got down to take the hose reel but a group of people rushed towards the truck from the temple.

“I saw some people with weapons that went to the front of the truck.

“Someone chased me and I ran towards the EMRS van. I opened the left door and went and hid inside the van.

“I laid down next to the stretcher.”

11.25: The DPP asks Hazim what were their operations on November 26.

Hazim replies that they received a distress call at 10.53pm about a fire near the USJ Hicom toll plaza.

“The team went there and then we put out the fire. Once that was done we returned to the station.”

The DPP asks what happened next.

Hazim says the team got a distress call on a car burning near the temple at 1.02am and the team responded to the call.

11.15am: The inquest resumes with the fifth witness, fireman Mohd Hazim Mohd Rahimi, being called to the stand.

The DPP asks Hazim what is his role as a fireman and what were his duties on the day of the riots.

Hazim says he was the nozzle man.

The DPP asks if he was involved in the operations to put out the fire near the temple on November 26.

He replies that he was part of the team that went to the scene. – February 14, 2019.