Catherine Janet was a very respectful person – Grandfather

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Simon Jugei

BAU: “My grand daughter was a very respectful person, whenever she met the elderly or religious figure of this village, she would stop to greet them,” Simon Jugei told The Borneo Post.

Simon was referring to his grand daughter, Catherine Janet Tiwi, a primary school teacher who died trying to save two of her colleagues from a fire that engulfed two teachers quarters at SK Batu Bungan in Mulu early Wednesday morning.

Simon, said when Catherine Janet returned for the last school holiday, she did not show any unusual behaviour until the last day.

“After dinner, she sat quietly alone at the table. Seemed to be thinking about something. Yesterday, suddenly they told me she had died,” he said.

“The guy was riding a motorcycle, he stopped and told me ‘your grand child has passed away’. I asked who? He said Catherine Janet. I almost fainted, I cried out despite trying very hard to control myself,” he narrated, in between sobs.

Simon said he could not see his grand daughter’s photo without crying.

“I have not been eating since hearing the news. I am feeling as if I want to follow her now,” he said.

Catherine Janet’s grandmother Sendi Abu, when met at the late teacher’s family house in Kampung Skio, here was trying very hard to maintain her composure when interviewed.

“Whenever she came back for holidays, she would go over to my house and tell me to dress up. I said why? Let go to Bau, we go eating. All her friends are sad too,” she said.

The grandmother also confided that Janet had indicated to them that she wanted to get engaged by the end of the year.

“Her boyfriend is here,” she said, pointing toward the kitchen direction, but reporters decided to give the young man some privacy.

Catherine Janet’s maternal grandmother, Noes Delis who only communicated in Bidayuh lingo, tried very hard to tell reporters how special the late teacher was to the family.

“Whenever she was back from Miri, she would come over to my house,” she said. Noes tried to communicate to reporters but her soft voice was inaudible and her relative said she could only communicate using her mother tongue.

Catherine Janet’s uncle Peter Nios, revealed that the late teacher was behaving rather strangely when she was about to go to Miri prior to the fire incident.

“She never said good bye or hugged the brother, but was bidding farewell to everyone. She bought them dinner at Pizza Hut as if she knew that would be their last time together,” he said.

Meanwhile, her good friend from Kadet Bomba Club, Sabrina Metree could not believe it would be their last meeting when when they met at Bung Jagoi on Friday July 20..

“I did not meet her for over a quite a long time, we were so happy to meet each other and it never cross my mine the incident would happen,” she said.

Sabrina described Catherine Janet as a very kindhearted person and she was still unable to accept the fact that now her good friend would be gone forever.

Kampung Skio prayer leader, Aboi Turan, when met revealed that Catherine was very close to everyone in the village, respectful and very helpful.

“She was a very active person, very religious and friendly to everyone be them old or young children,” he said.

Grieving family and friends were seen hanging out in the family house compound, waiting for Catherine Janet’s body arrival from Miri.

Her remains will be brought back to her village in Kampung Skio from Miri at around 4.40pm and is scheduled to arrive in Kuching at around 5.50pm.

Family members congregating at Catherine Janet’s house at Kampung Skio in Bau.