M'sian emergency responder injured in temple riot has died, case classified as murder

Muhammad Adib was responding to a vehicle fire during the riots.

Sulaiman Daud | December 18, 2018, 11:59 AM

The Malaysian emergency responder Muhammad Adib Mohd Kassim has died at the National Heart Institute (IJN) in Kuala Lumpur on Dec. 17.

The 24-year-old firefighter was severely injured in the temple riot in Selangor on Nov. 27.

He died four days before he was due to be married.

News of his passing was confirmed in a statement by housing and local government minister Zuraida Kamaruddin.

Adib's remains will be brought to the Hang Tuah Fire and Rescue station to be accorded final respects.

It will then be flown via helicopter to his hometown in Kedah for burial.

Deployed to the scene of the riots

Adib, a member of the Subang Jaya Emergency Response System (EMRS) unit and Fire and Rescue station, was called to the scene during the riots at Sri Maha Mariamman Temple in Subang Jaya, Selangor.

While attempting to put out a vehicle fire, he was allegedly dragged from his vehicle and beaten up by a group of rioters.

Chief minister of Selangor Amirudin Shari expressed his condolences to Adib's family in a statement on Dec. 17.

He said: "I repeat my confidence in the capability of the Royal Malaysia Police and the Attorney-General's Chambers in carrying out their investigations on the case."

"If it is proven that there were criminal elements involved, I hope the criminal concerned would be immediately brought to face prosecution and receive the harshest sentence for the inhumane act."

Selangor police have reclassified Adib's case as murder.

Condition worsened

Adib was in a stable condition and no longer required a life support machine for his heart, it was previously reported.

But on Sunday his condition worsened.

He suffered progressive deterioration of his lung functions in the last 24 hours.

An assessment revealed signs of consolidation and hardening of the lung tissue, making gas exchange ineffective.

On Dec. 18, Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad also expressed his condolences in a tweet:

He wrote "I am very sad to receive this news. May his soul be placed among the righteous. Condolences to Muhammad Adib’s family on his passing."

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Top image adapted from Bernama's Twitter page and screen shots from Jeya Sakti Durga’s Facebook video