THE family of dead fireman Muhammad Adib Mohd Kassim, is hoping that the new Perikatan Nasional government, made up of Malay leaders, will work hard to find the truth in the case. 

They are also hopeful that the appointment of a new Attorney-General, following the resignation of Tommy Thomas would bring a new focus to the case, and eventually lead to those responsible for Adib’s death being caught and punished. 

“We feel there is a new hope, a positive one for Adib. We do not know yet but with the new government, we pray for the best. 

“We urge the AG to focus on Adib’s case. We do not want a repeat of the last one,” Adib’s father Mohd Kassim Abdul Hamid told The Malaysian Insight. 

When met at his home in Kg Tebengau Kuala Kedah, Kassim and his wife repeatedly demanded the police to look for the individuals responsible for the death of their son. 

For Kassim, the case remains unsolved until the killer is caught. He added that cops have stopped updating him after the inquest was announced last year. 

“Since last year there has been no news. We ask police to work harder. Similarly, with a new government in place, we hope they can arrest those responsible. 

“That is our only request. Find and arrest the killer. For how long we do not know. It is good if the new government can give this a priority,” he said. 

He said the previous Pakatan Harapan government was not serious in handling this case. 

“We have proof of how he died. The authorities are not serious. That is why the people are not satisfied,” he said. 

The family is also planning to pursue contempt proceedings against Thomas. 

Family lawyer Aidil Khalid said they will challenge a high court ruling against them on this matter. 

“The application to challenge the high court ruling will be made at the Court of Appeal this Wednesday,” he told The Malaysian Insight. 

Thomas had said that Adib’s death was not because of the injuries he had sustained. 

The statement was made when the inquest was still ongoing. 

Thomas resigned last week following the collapse of PH government. He was replaced by Federal Court judge Idrus Harun earlier this week. 

Umno and PAS leaders, now part of the Perikatan Nasional, were against Thomas and PH when they were handling the case. 

Adib died during a riot involving a large group of devotees at a temple in Sri Maha Mariamman, Seafield in late 2018. 

In September 2019, Coroner Rofiah Mohamad said Adib’s death was the result of a criminal act, and also the failure of the police to act at the time of the incident. 

She concluded that the blunt chest trauma sustained by Adib during the incident was not self-inflicted or due to an accident, but was caused by two to three unidentified persons who pulled the victim out of the fire department EMRS van, hitting him and dragging him. 

Adib sustained severe injuries while on duty to put out a fire during the riots on November 26, 2018, and passed away on December 17 at the National Heart Institute. – March 8, 2020.