AN engineering expert today disagreed with a theory proposed by forensic expert Dr Ahmad Hafizam Hasmi, from Hospital Kuala Lumpur (HKL), on Fireman Muhammad Adib Mohd Kassim’s injuries.

Universiti Teknologi Mara (UiTM) Shah Alam’s mechanical engineering faculty senior lecturer Amir Rafzi Ab Ghani had dismissed the calculations made by Hafizam on Adib’s injuries.

“The mistake he made was taking into account the weight of the Emergency Medical Rescue Services van and Adib’s mass that caused his ribs to fracture.  

“Only the weight of the door (that allegedly hit Adib) should be taken into account,” he said at the Shah Alam High Court today. 

Conducting officer Faten Hadni Khairuddin said Amir was called in for his opinion on the conflicting findings of the forensic pathologists.

Hafizam had given his conclusions regarding how Adib was injured but a second forensic expert, consultant pathologist Dr Shahrom Abd Wahid, had differed.

Shahrom’s opinion was that the impact from the edge of the EMRS door was not sufficient to cause injuries to Adib, as opposed to the opinions from Hafizam.

Dr Shahrom had used the Newton formula to show that the force was minimal.

Faten said that both forensic experts had said that they were not experts in physics and that is the reason Amir was called. 

Amir said that based on the calculations, there would need to be a force of more than 3,300 Newton to cause serious injuries to Adib. 

“The weight of the EMRS door is 30kg which is similar to a sedan car (door). If the van was reversing and Adib was static then the injuries could be worse.

“In the calculations, the mass of the vehicle need not be taken into account.”

Dr Shahrom had said that a force of 3,300 Newton is needed to cause Abid’s injuries. 

As for the calculations of Adib’s injuries from falling on a rough surface, Amir said that he would have to fall from a height of 4m to sustain injuries from the force of 3,300 Newton. 

The inquest is seeking to determine how Adib suffered the injuries that killed him 21 days after he was hospitalised following the riots at the Sri Maha Mariamman temple in Subang Jaya last year. – July 16, 2019.