Christina (left) tries hard to fight back her emotion as Christine and other relatives weep uncontrollably when glancing at the portrait of Andrew and his family at Rh Catherine Tamoh.
The folk of Rh Catherine Tamoh follow up on the missing MH370 through The Borneo Post and Utusan Borneo.
Christina and other relatives pray at the banner of the missing MH370 at Rh Catherine Tamoh.
A view of Rh Catherine Tamoh, Sungai Aup, Sibu.
A portrait of Andrew and his family.
SIBU: Fond memories of their chieftain’s son Andrew Nari brightened up the otherwise sombre mood at a longhouse (Rh Catherine Tamoh) in Sungai Aup here yesterday.
The some 500 residents of the 86-door longhouse have been praying unceasingly for the safe return of Andrew, a chief steward, who was among the 239 people on board the flight en route from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing when it disappeared from radar in the wee hours of Mar 8.
Christina Anisah, 60, the first cousin of the longhouse chief Catherine, said they were shattered upon learning the news that MH370 ended in the southern Indian Ocean.
“Many relatives and friends gathered at the longhouse last night (Monday) around 10.30pm and the announcement hit us hard as Andrew is and always will be very dear to all of us here.
“We could not fight back our emotions as we had never expected such a thing to happen. We stayed there until about 2.30am this morning (yesterday),” she told reporters in between sobs yesterday.
Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak on Monday night announced that the flight path of MH370 ended in the southern Indian Ocean.
Asked to relate memories of Andrew’s childhood days, Christina said he was born in Mile 15 Oya Road here, where his parents taught.
Andrew, she recalled, followed his parents who were both teachers wherever they were posted.
She said Andrew had even stayed in Kuching when his parents were posted there.
Fighting hard to hold back her emotion as she clinched firmly to the portrait of Andrew and his family, Christina said Andrew was well-liked by the folk here.
“He never missed coming back to celebrate Gawai Dayak and Christmas with his mother. He would bring his family along and there was so much joy. At times when his flight landed here, he would take the opportunity to see his mother.
“Despite his high post in the airline, Andrew is actually a quiet and down-to-earth person. Whenever he came back for the festive occasions, he would catch up with the elderly in the longhouse, asking about their health.
“He is such a kind person and we miss him so much,” said Christina as tears rolled down her cheek.
Both Christina and Christine Sebai, 60, a cousin of Andrew, recalled they last met him during ‘Gawai Antu’ last December.
At this point, the interview was interrupted as Christina, Christine and other relatives wept uncontrollably.
Members of the media there, numbering about a dozen, were overwhelmed by the scene of grief.
Asked about Andrew’s mother, Christina disclosed that she called her on Monday night after learning about the news.
“I tried to speak to her yesterday (Monday) but she was too grief-stricken to say anything. She was crying all the time.
“And this morning (yesterday) around 9.30am, I called her again to ask how long she would stay in KL. She is expected to be there over the next three days awaiting instruction to be flown to a location,” she said.
According to Christina, Catherine had been in KL since Mar 8.
“She is with Andrew’s wife there.”
She pointed out that Catherine’s brother Bob is staying at the longhouse. Andrew’s father
passed away in 2004.
Christina, who spoke mainly in Iban but occasionally in fluent English, revealed that they might have a prayer session later in the evening.
Another relative, Christina Tadon, 49, and a mother-of-three, said though she did not know much about Andrew’s childhood days, she remembered him for his kindness.
“Andrew would usually bring chocolates from overseas such as the United States of America as gifts for us here.
“He is very approachable and a friendly person. All the longhouse folk spoke fondly of him,” she said.
She recalled her last time seeing Andrew was on Dec 21 last year when he brought his family to the longhouse.
“That morning, they invited us for ‘kampua’ and ‘kompia’ at a coffee shop famous for its ‘kampua’ in Apollo Road here. We occupied three tables and he spent over RM100 that day,” she said.
Meanwhile, Christina and other relatives were later seen praying near the banner of the missing MH370.
Andrew, born in February 1965, had worked with the airline since September 1989.
He was the eldest in the family of four siblings.
He stayed with his wife and two children in Puchong.