Marutin’s wife, Merina, lays flowers on the late Sabah State Court Director’s casket during the funeral.
SIBU (April 2): The late Sabah State Court Director Marutin Pagan, 56, was laid to rest at Nirvana Memorial Park here this morning.
Hundreds of mourners, including his family members, relatives, friends and colleagues gathered at the park to pay their last respects.
Among them were Registrar of the High Court of Sabah and Sarawak Nixon Kennedy Kumbong, Sessions Court Judge Stella Augustine Druce, former judge Caroline Bee Majanil as well as legal officers from Kuching, Miri and Sabah.
The funeral wake was held for two nights at Rumah Jurai in Mile 11, Jalan Oya here.
Marutin perished in an accident involving two sports utility vehicles (SUVs) at the Kanowit roundabout in Jalan Kanowit/Julau/Durin near here on Sunday.
He sustained severe head injuries after being ejected from the car driven by his 28-year-old daughter, and pronounced dead at the scene of the accident.
Marutin together with his wife, Merina Bandang, and three daughters were travelling from Kanowit to Sibu after visiting his sick father in Machan when their car was hit by another SUV at the roundabout.
“The collision caused the SUV to overturn, and one of its passengers, aged 56, was thrown out of the vehicle and was confirmed dead at the scene due to severe head injuries,” Sibu police chief ACP Zulkipli Suhaili had said in a statement.
Meanwhile, Marutin’s youngest sister Maria Pagan said her late brother and family often visited their parents in Machan during the weekend.
“They would usually visit in the morning and return to Sibu in the afternoon,” she said when met at the funeral.
She added that their father, who is bedridden, has not been informed of Marutin’s passing.
Born on June 22, 1969, Marutin is the second child of eight siblings.
He graduated with a Bachelor of Laws degree from Universiti Malaya in 1994 before starting his career as a deputy public prosecutor in 1995 in Kuching.
Nixon said Marutin’s unexpected passing is a great loss for the legal fraternity, especially with his position as Sabah State Court director.
“He was a very nice person. And most importantly, no matter how good he was, he was very strict with his work. At the same time, he was full of integrity. He was also a very straightforward person.
“In performing his duties, he always ensured and advised all his officers and also his staff to work diligently and to be honest.
“He did everything by the book and followed the rules religiously.
“He will always be missed and remembered by us, definitely,” he said.