THE coroners’ court verdict this morning has raised more questions, chief among them must be: who is going to be charged with the murder of fireman Muhammad Adib Mohd Kassim?

Adib, who was attacked last November, succumbed to his injuries the following month. And today, the court in Shah Alam delivered the verdict that the blunt force trauma to his chest was not “self-inflicted”, but caused by two to three persons who dragged him out of an Emergency Medical Rescue Services (EMRS) vehicle.

Adib’s death was the result of a criminal act, ruled coroner Rofiah Mohamad.

So after 10 months, who will police bring in? Isn’t it safe to say if there had been strong suspects, they would have been brought in earlier, detained for investigations, and maybe, already charged?

Who are these “two to three persons” who dragged him out of the EMRS vehicle and assaulted him?

Will Adib’s case now join the list of “unsolved murders”?

The coroner had this to say this morning: “I’m also of the view that the police and Federal Reserve Unit (FRU) had failed to control the riots, and had contributed towards Adib’s death.”

FRU assistant superintendent Shuhaimi Yaakub had told the inquest into the fireman’s death that personnel did not disperse the rioters as he was unable to contact the Subang Jaya police chief (ground commander) for further instructions.

This was his testimony when he explained why his unit did not move in to stop the mob, despite seeing the crowd approaching two Fire and Rescue Department vehicles. He also said he was following standard operating procedures based on the public order manual.

So, over to you, Inspector-General of Police Abdul Hamid Bador. Care to comment?

This incident had brought the country to the brink of racial unrest. Someone has to be brought to book.

Will it be police? Or One City Development, the developer involved in a tussle with temple authorities over the plot of land on which the house of worship sits?

And what about the Subang Jaya Fire and Rescue Department, which Adib was attached to? Firefighters high-tailed it back to their station after their vehicles were attacked, leaving Adib at the scene to fend for himself alone.

The inquest also heard that the other firemen realised Adib was missing only at the station, after they fled the scene.

Was Adib deserted by his own colleagues, fearing for their lives? Who will take up the slack for this?

So many questions remain, while so much time has passed by. – September 27, 2019.