November 6, 2017
Muezzin who helped non-Muslim flood victims unfazed by mean comments
“I do not care what people say.
“What is important is that the people’s lives were saved,” said Sapno Tukijo, who oversees prayers at the Taman Free School surau in George Town, in a report by Harian Metro today.
He said about 70 Chinese and Indian residents, who were mostly from kampung homes in the vicinity of Lengkuk P Ramlee nearby, had taken shelter at the surau when water levels rose dangerously in the pre-dawn hours of Sunday.
“The temple is just a few metres away on the other side of the road.
“I tried to help them get over by tying a rope between two electric poles for them to use to go there through the water,” he said.
“But the effort failed because the water current was too swift and it had critically risen to chest level.
“I then invited them to stay at the surau,” he said.
Sapno said they were initially reluctant to take up his offer as they felt uncomfortable, out of respect for the surau. He then insisted as the situation had become dire.
“They eventually agreed to take shelter in the surau. There were some who were shirtless as they had been forced to escape the floods from their homes at that hour.”
He said he was aware that people had criticised the move, but added that he would have felt guiltier if he had allowed the victims to remain desperately seeking cover during the disaster.
A photo of some of the non-Muslims, including a man who was shirtless, seated on the floor of the surau became viral with some social media users criticising them for not respecting the religious premises and the surau management for letting them in.
Seven people were reported to have died in the storm in Penang that began on Saturday evening and lasted till the early hours of Sunday, resulting in floods, landslides and uprooted trees.
Among the deceased were Amanullah Shabib Kalandir, 75, from Jalan P Ramlee, and Chew Eng Lean, 78, from Jalan Perak, whose bodies were found in their homes. There were both believed to have drowned.
Jalan P Ramlee, which is close to the surau’s location, was among the worst-hit areas in the state.
Bernama reported that the number evacuated in Penang continued to rise as 6,293 flood victims were still housed in four districts as at 6pm, compared to 5,478 at noon today.
A police flood operations room spokesman said the flood victims involved 1,602 families in 41 relief centres in the state.
“As at 6pm, 3,955 evacuees in Seberang Perai Utara (SPU) were still sheltered at 18 evacuation centres compared with 2,922 at noon as water levels in several areas such Air Melintas Besar, Sungai Dua and Merbau Kudung continue to surge higher,” he said here today.
The Seberang Perai Tengah (SPT) district recorded 2,115 victims in 21 relief centres.
He said several roads in SPU were also closed to traffic as they were in 0.2 to 0.7 metre of water, among them Jalan Bertam Indah, Jalan Lahar Yooi-Sungai Dua, Lahar Yooi-Padang Menora, Jalan Sungai Dua, Jalan Perusahaan Sungai Lokan, Jalan Matahari Naik, Jalan Padang Tonsun and Jalan Ara Kuda.
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Sumber Muezzin who helped non-Muslim flood victims unfazed by mean comments