SHAH ALAM: A witness today shared his recollections on how a group of individuals had attacked the car he was travelling in, at the Sri Maha Mariamman temple, located in USJ25 near here, in the wee hours of last Nov 27.
Chan Wei Jie, 24, the 19th witness in the inquest proceedings said the Perodua Kancil he was travelling in with his uncle, who was the driver at that time, suffered damage on the front bumper, besides the car windows being shattered.
He said he and his uncle had been driving home from USJ 16 to USJ 12 at 1.15am when the incident happened.
“At first they (the rioters) were just surrounding and shouting. One guy was then climbing the front (car) body,“ he said when questioned by deputy public prosecutor Faten Hadni Khairuddin, who was also the conducting officer at the inquest proceedings to determine the cause of death of firefighter Muhammad Adib Mohd Kassim.
He said he then got out of the car as there were debris (after the car windows were shattered) and later stood at the side of the road.
Faten: While you were doing this, where was your uncle?
Chan: Still in the car. And people were shouting at my uncle, saying different things. Some were saying ‘jalan (go)’, some were saying ‘stop and come down (berhenti dan turun)’.
Faten: Other than shouting, did they do anything to the car?
Chan: At first no, they just surrounded and shouted at us but after my uncle continued to start the car they started hitting the car with their bare hands and sticks.
Chan said that after the group stopped attacking the car, three individuals from the group helped Chan and his uncle get back into the car.
He also said several individuals from the group later apologised to him and his uncle, and asked them to lodge a police report.
Chan later said he and his uncle drove straight to the USJ 8 police station after the event.
He said before the attack, he had heard the noise of vehicles colliding as the Fire Rescue Tender (FRT) vehicle reversed.
The witness said at that point of time, his car was four to five vehicles away from the truck.
Faten: Did the truck (FRT) collide with your car?
Chan: Yes. My car made a 180 degree turn (after being hit by the FRT truck).
The inquest proceedings before Coroner Rofiah Mohamad continues on March 19.
So far, 19 witnesses had been called to testify in the proceeding which began on Feb 11.
Muhammad Adib, 24, who was a member of the Emergency Medical Rescue Service (EMRS) from the Subang Jaya Fire & Rescue Station, was seriously injured during the riots at the Seafield Sri Maha Mariamman Temple in USJ 25, Subang Jaya, on Nov 27 last year.
He succumbed to his injuries on Dec 17 last year at the National Heart Institute (IJN).
Meanwhile, deputy public prosecutor, Hamdan Hamzah, who is also the conducting officer for the inquest, when met by reporters said he had requested the court to vacate March 4 and 5 as the hearing for the Seafield Sri Maha Mariamman Temple’s task force’s motion for a stay of the inquest will be heard at the Court of Appeal on March 4.
He also said professional witnesses such as the pathologist and chemist will be called as the next witnesses in the inquest. — Bernama
