KOTA KINABALU: HARI Raya celebration will not be the same for the families of marine policemen Corporal Abd Rajah Jamuan and Constable Zakiah Aleip.
Abd Rajah, 32, was killed in an exchange of fire with eight gunmen clad in black shirts and camouflage trousers at the Mabul Water Bungalows Resort on Pulau Mabul, off Semporna, late Saturday.
His colleague, Zakiah, 26, remains missing and is feared captured by the suspects.
Abd Rajah’s wife, Salamah Amad, 26, was in complete disbelief when she received news about her husband’s death about 1am from a cousin, who is also a policeman.
“My mother-in-law fainted several times and we are still in shock. We did not expect this to happen,” she said with tears flowed.
Salamah said their first-born, Khairine Zafran, would be celebrating his first birthday on July 26.
“We have been looking forward to this
special occasion and my husband had planned to hold the aqiqah for our baby
after Hari Raya.”
She said Abd Rajah was excited about celebrating Hari Raya together with the family, adding that he wanted to wear matching blue baju melayu with his son and had bought a pair for Khairine.
She described Abd Rajah as a patriotic man and that he died as a national hero.
“He was a quiet person, but friendly and strict. My husband had been in the police force for 12 years and I am very proud of him.”
The couple last met on Friday during the breaking of fast before Abd Rajah was assigned to patrol the waters near Pulau Mabul.
The night before the incident, Salamah exchanged text messages with her husband, who had also asked about their baby.
Meanwhile, Aleip Sadu could not hold back his tears each time his son’s name was mentioned.
“About 10pm, he called his mother to inform her that he had just finished working and would return home (to Semporna).
“At 4.30am, I received a call from his wife telling us that Zakiah had not returned home and she asked if he had called us.”
Aleip said his daughter-in-law told him that she sensed something amiss and that she had tried contacting Zakiah on his cell phone but failed.
“My son was looking forward to balik kampung a week after Hari Raya. I pray to God that my son is not harmed. As a father, I want him back safe and sound, and we will
continue to pray and wait,” said the 53-year-old.
Zakiah and his wife, Sharifah Erna Berson, 23, have a three-month-old baby boy. The constable has been in the force since 2010.
Abd Rajah, who was from Semporna, was transferred from Perak to serve under the Eastern Sabah Security Command, while Zakiah, from Tenghilan, Tamparuli, served in Penang before being stationed in Semporna after the Lahad Datu intrusion last year.
Just before the 11pm ambush on Saturday night, both victims were having supper at the Mabul Water Bungalow Resort dining hall.
The gunmen came in a boat and fired random shots towards the resort. Both victims, along with two other marine personnel, returned fire.
Abd Rajah’s body was retrieved from the waters under the jetty, while Zakiah is still missing. Abd Rajah’s body was sent to Tawau Hospital for a post-mortem before it was taken back to Semporna for burial at Mile 3, Kampung Kebun Bunga.
