Shuhaimi arrive to testify for on the inquest into the death of Muhammad Adib Kassim at Shah Alam Coroner Court complex yesterday. —Bernama photo
SHAH ALAM: The Coroner’s Court here was yesterday told that the Federal Reserve Unit (FRU) did not disperse the crowd during the riot at the Seafield Sri Maha Mariamman Temple in USJ 25, Subang Jaya, on Nov 27 last year because the team was only instructed to be on standby.
FRU Unit 1A officer, ASP Shuhaimi Yaakub said as specified in the FRU’s standard operating procedure (SOP) the FRU team only provides assistance to the Subang Jaya district police headquarters while the latter was supposed to brief or give instruction on whether the team should take action or just be on standby.
“We only received instruction to be on standby and no further orders were given,” the 21st witness said in reply to deputy public prosecutor Hamdan Hamzah who is conducting the inquest into the death of Muhammad Adib Kassim.
Hamdan : Why didn’t the FRU take action against the crowd who were out of control? Shuhaimi: According to the SOP and the ‘public order manual’ guidelines, any action to address or control a riot must be reported to the Subang Jaya district police chief (IPD). I together with Unit 1 commanding officer Supt Jefri Muhammad tried to contact the OCPD but he could not be reached. Jefri then contacted the Subang Jaya IPD deputy chief who only instructed us to be on standby.”
The witness said he arrived at the scene with the two teams at 10.40pm on Nov 26, 2018 along with seven vehicles namely a command vehicle, three lorries, a logistics truck, a Land Rover and water cannon.
However, he said all the vehicles were caught in the traffic congestion at a flyover heading towards the temple.
“I was standing at the flyover which was about 100 metres away from the temple. I could see there were about 5,000 people at the site and it was a noisy as people were shouting and cheering.
I also saw two vehicles on fire before two fire department vehicles arrived to put out the fire,” he said.
When lawyer representing the victim’s family, Yahaya Othman asked if he agreed that the FRU had made a mistake resulting in someone’s death, the witness disagreed.
Yahaya: When did you manage to contact the OCPD? Shuhaimi: I am not sure, but when everything was over at about 3 am, after the crowd had dispersed I saw the OCPD at the site.
Meanwhile the 22nd witness, Hardeep Singh, 29, who was near the scene said he made four video recordings through his mobile phone and one of the recordings showed the vehicles on fire, three others showed the FRT vehicle and EMRS van reversing.
The security firm manager said he did not see what happened to the victim (Muhammad Adib) as he was watching the EMRS van and the FRT vehicle reversing at that time.
“I could not record much as they (FRT, EMRS vehicles) left the scene within a short time,” he said.
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).
The hearing before coroner Rofiah Mohamad continues today. — Bernama