Sabah quake: Guides and survivors reunite at Tanjong Katong Primary School
Mr El Jauzy, father of TKPS student El Wafeeq El Jauzy, hugs one of the three mountain guides, Simon Gohinmin. Photo: Pichayada Promchertchoo/Channel NewsAsia
SINGAPORE — Three mountain guides today (June 16) met the Singaporean schoolboy whose life they helped save following an earthquake that struck Sabah on June 5.
Mr Rizuan Kauhinin, Mr Simon Gohinmin and Mr Mazlee Liong touched down in Singapore last night. Today, they were reunited with Tanjong Katong Primary School (TKPS) student El Wafeeq El Jauzy, whom they had helped carry down Mount Kinabalu following the 5.9-magnitude quake. Also at the reunion was another TKPS student who was rescued — Arnaav Karan Chabria, 11.
"I will shake Wafeeq's hand and ask the boy about his condition," said Mr Mazlee on the way to TKPS to meet the students and their families. "The last time I had a chance to ask the boy his name and age, but this time I will ask more and get to know him more."
At the meeting, Wafeeq and his family wore customised shirts, which they intended to present to the Sabahan guides as gifts. "We wanted to give the guides something meaningful. So we came up with the idea of soccer jerseys with Wafeeq's and the guides' names," said his mother, Mdm Sabrena El Huda.
Added the 12-year-old student: "I made the T-shirts to symbolise the courage of the Sabah mountain guides."
Rizuan checking out the jersey Wafeeq had made. Photo: Pichayada Promchertchoo
The reunion — arranged as part of an upcoming Channel NewsAsia documentary, Heart of Courage – saw the guides, the two boys and their families meet behind closed doors. This is the first time the guides have travelled out of Malaysia, and they will spend two days sightseeing in Singapore.
The most vocal out of the three guides, Mr Rizuan said, "The earthquake that happened affected a lot of people. The boys endured a lot of trauma and you need to give them time to get better. They lost a lot of their friends and I hope that they will be strong to continue their way of life."
"I'm not just the only guide to help the boys. It was a big operation that involved all the mountain guides," he added.
Wafeeq called the chance to meet the men who saved him a "precious" moment. "They helped me all the way from the mountain," he added.
His mother, Mdm Sabrena said: "I feel very delighted — the whole family does — seeing them in person. When we spoke to each other, we shared our stories as if we had known each other for a long time.”
"I wouldn't see this meeting as a closure but a start. I think this sense of brotherly love will continue beyond this episode."
Asked if her son will go back to Mount Kinabalu, she said: "He is a very determined boy." Wafeeq still wants to reach the summit, she added. "I think he has found a very good guide."
A total of 18 climbers were killed in the disaster, 10 from Singapore. CHANNEL NEWSASIA
Catch Heart of Courage on Channel NewsAsia, June 23, at 8.30pm.
