PETALING JAYA: The wife of Corporal Syed Isfan Syed Mohammad remains hopeful as he lies unconscious following a tragic accident that claimed the lives of nine of his fellow Federal Reserve Unit (FRU) personnel.
Transferred from Teluk Intan Hospital to Raja Permaisuri Bainun Hospital in Ipoh, Perak on the day of the tragedy, Syed Isfan is now stable, though still battling a post-surgical fever.
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“Thank God, his condition is showing positive signs. Everything is stable, but right now he has a fever, which could be a result of the surgery,” Rasidah Suhada Zulkifli told New Straits Times.
“Doctors have assured me that he may wake up soon, but for now, they are allowing him to rest,” the 32-year-old housewife said.
Syed Isfan suffered severe internal injuries, a leaking bladder, a bacterial infection and multiple fractures to his hip and ribs.
He is expected to undergo two more surgeries.
Recalling the morning he left for duty, his wife said he hugged and kissed her and their children several times, waving at them for a long while until he disappeared from view.
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“It wasn’t normal because he was only away on duty for one day.
Explaining their father’s condition to her three children – Syed Habib Rahman, 7; Sharifah Afeeya, 5; and Sharifah Aylaa, 2, has been a difficult task.
She said they learned about the incident from television reports.
“I had to explain things to them. They understand that their papa had an accident because they saw it on TV. But I told them he’s just a little injured. I didn’t want to tell them the full extent of it—about how critical he was.
“I just told them that the doctors are taking care of him, and that when he comes home, we’ll take care of him together,” she said.
Now juggling hospital visits and parenting, Rasidah relies on her sisters for help. The family lives at the Unit 5 FRU quarters in Sungai Senam.
“I have been commuting between the hospital and home, and my children have been on their best behavior, staying with my sisters, except for her youngest daughter, who is still breastfeeding.
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“Alhamdulillah, it’s a blessing from God that my little one isn’t crying much, even when I leave her with others. Normally, she’s afraid of strangers.
“When she sees the car arriving, she calls out ‘Papa, Papa, Papa.’ She doesn’t fully understand yet because she’s so young, but it’s clear she misses her papa,” Rasidah added.
To comfort her children, she shows them photos of their father, doing her best to keep their spirits high.
The accident occurred at about 8.50am on Tuesday at KM15 of Jalan Chikus–Sungai Lampam in Teluk Intan.
An FRU truck carrying 18 personnel from Unit 5 Sungai Senam collided with a gravel-laden lorry while returning to Ipoh after completing duties for the Chitrapournami festival.
Eight officers died on the spot, while a ninth succumbed to injuries at Teluk Intan Hospital.
