FIFTEEN firemen from the Subang Jaya fire station had taken a day off on Sunday to attend a colleague’s wedding in Kampung Tebengau, Kuala Kedah. Instead, they attended his funeral on Tuesday.

They were to attend the wedding of 24-year-old Muhammad Adib Mohd Kassim who died on Monday of injuries inflicted by a mob during the November 27 riots at the Seafield Sri Maha Mariamman temple in Subang Jaya.

Adib was in Crew C at the fire station but he had been well known to the other groups of firemen, who spoke fondly of him.

Fellow Crew C member Mohd Rosliadi Jumadi was to lead the wedding convoy, along with Adib’s best friend at work, Mohamad Fadhil Buari.

They had planned to leave for Kedah tomorrow night.

Some of them were to have gone shopping today for a wedding gift.

Rosliadi described Adib as a funny guy who could make them laugh.

“He was a disciplined fireman. We never had problems with him. All of us here were comfortable when he was around,” Rosliadi told The Malaysian Insight.

Fadhil, who had been friends with Adib for five years, was close to tears while speaking to The Malaysian Insight. 

“We were all excited about his wedding. We had already applied for leave and it was approved. We were supposed to leave for Kedah tomorrow night,” he said.

“We talked about getting him a gift before going to Kedah. We were going to get it today.

“All of us had been looking forward to attending his wedding. But we attended his funeral instead.”

Fadhil said he spent most of his free time with Adib at his home in Taman Medan. The two of them  had shared many a meal together, he said.

“We had been very close since the day he joined. He was quiet but he was a friend who would never let you down.”

That fateful night

Rosliadi, a 24-year-old Sabahan, recalled the night the firemen were attacked. 

It was the second day of riots after armed men stormed the temple the day before.

“All of us were shocked when our truck and van were attacked. It was terrifying and I was scared,” he said.

“We were attacked with all sorts of weapons, from stones to steel rods. 

“The damage was so bad but luckily the truck’s windscreen did not shatter. It would have been a different story for us if it had.

“The crowd was massive and it was like a war zone. I had never seen anything like it before.”

Adib had been in the emergency van which was also attacked. It was reported that Adib was dragged out of the vehicle by a mob as it tried to leave the scene. 

Fadhil said he had been chatting with Adib  just before the station received the emergency call.

“I had just finished my shift. As usual I stayed back to hang out with Adib for a while. We were sitting near the hose tower and we were talking about his wedding,” said Fadhil.

“He asked if we had applied for leave and if we were sure to be at the wedding. He was so happy about it.”

That was the last time Fadhil spoke to Adib.

“It was chaotic at the scene and the next thing I knew was that Adib was missing and that a group of men had taken him to the Subang Jaya Medical Centre for treatment.

“I was at the hospital and I saw him unconscious. When his body was flown back to Kedah, I was in the helicopter with him,” he said.

Senior officer Zulkifli Mohktar described Adib’s death as a huge loss for the station.

“We did not just lose a friend but a member of our family,” said Zulkifli.

“He will be remembered as a hardworking and committed fireman.”

As for the colleagues who were to have been wedding guests, they have cancelled their leave and will be at work.

Adib died at the National Heart Institute.

Police arrested four men in connection with the attack on Adib. They were released on bail after having their statements recorded. – December 21, 2018.