RAHIMI Ahmad, one of two Malaysians injured in the Christchurch mosque shooting today, will undergo a second operation tomorrow to remove a second bullet in the spine.

A bullet that was lodged in his stomach was removed by surgery today, Bayan Lepas assemblyman Azrul Mahathir Aziz said.

Azrul learnt this from Rahimi’s wife Nor Azila Mohammad, who had called Rahimi’s mother in Penang from New Zealand. Azrul was visiting Rahimi’s mother, Rokiah Mohammad, 65, at home in Kampung Binjai, when Nor Azila called.

“She said the bullet hit the spine. Rahimi has another operation scheduled tomorrow.

“We are not sure of his exact condition. She said he is still unconscious. She seems traumatised herself,” he said.

Rokiah was waiting all afternoon for news for her son, the middle child of five siblings.

She said she had just returned home from Quran reading at a neighbour’s house when she saw the news of the shooting on RTM.

The news did not name the two Malaysians injured in the massacre that left some 50 people dead, but she knew Rahimi attended mosque in Christchurch, where the shootings took place in two mosques.
 
“The news said Christchurch. I just knew,” she told reporters.

“My son and his family live in Christchurch and the mosque is very near their house.

“I can’t describe how I felt then. He is so far away. There is nothing I can do. If I could fly to New Zealand to be with him, I would.”

Rahimi, 39, has lived in Christchurch, where he works as a technician at a dairy factory, for over four years with his wife and two young kids. Nor Azila, also 39, is studying medicine there.

Masjid Al-Noor on Deans Avenue is in Rahimi’s neighbourhood.

The NZ Herald earlier identified Rahimi as one of the injured. It reported that he had gone to Masjid Al Noor with his 11-year-old son, Ahmad Razif, for Friday prayers when the shooting happened.

Rokiah said Nor Azila had called her at about 2pm to inform her that Razif was fine, but there was still no news of Rahimi at the time.

She said Rahimi and his family had returned to Malaysia twice since they moved to Christchurch for Azila’s studies.

“He spoke to me the day before yesterday. He asked how we were doing. Azila said she had just passed her exam. We had the usual chat.

“They were planning to come home this Ramadan,” she said.

Azrul, meanwhile, said he and state welfare and caring society exco Phee Boon Poh were making arrangements to fly Rokiah and one of Rahimi’s brothers to New Zealand to be with her son.

He said the mother and son are expected be able to travel tomorrow.

Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow said his administration will also send Azrul and Phee to accompany the family to Christchurch.

New Zealand authorities said four people had been arrested. – March 15, 2019.