ASAJAYA: What began as a search filled with concern ended in sorrow when a man who was earlier found alive but weak after being reported missing in Kampung Jaie was later confirmed dead on Wednesday afternoon.
The victim, identified as Hamizan Rahmat, 42, was confirmed dead at about 3.00 pm following a medical examination conducted by officers from the Ministry of Health at the scene. The confirmation came several hours after he was located by the search and rescue team during the second day of the operation.
According to a statement from the Sarawak Operations Centre, Hamizan was discovered at around 12.50 pm in a bushy area approximately 500 metres from the Disaster Operations Control Centre. Members of the search team found him in a very weak condition and immediately moved him out of the forested area to a safer location for further action.
Earlier reports had indicated that Hamizan had been feared missing after he failed to return home while searching for snails in the Sungai Jaie area. He was said to have left his house at around 11.00 am on the day of the incident, riding a bicycle towards Jaie Beach in Sadong Jaya. When he did not return by evening, concern grew among his family members.
At about 5.30 pm, his mother alerted his younger brother, prompting relatives and villagers to conduct an initial search. During the effort, they found Hamizan’s bicycle abandoned in a bushy area near the beach. Despite searching for nearly two hours, there was no sign of him, leading the family to lodge a police report later that night.
The Sarawak Operations Centre stated that an emergency call was received at 11.02 pm, after which a full search and rescue operation was activated. Personnel from the Asajaya Fire and Rescue Station arrived at the location, which is about 15 kilometres away, to begin coordinated efforts.
On the second day, seven personnel from the Asajaya Fire and Rescue Station, led by Station Chief and Operations Commander PBK I Zaidel Zailani, were deployed. The operation involved close cooperation with the Royal Malaysian Police, Civil Defence Force, Malaysian Volunteer Department, and local villagers, supported by four-wheel-drive vehicles.
After Hamizan was confirmed dead, the authorities handed the case over to the relevant agency for further investigation and follow-up procedures. The incident has left the Kampung Jaie community in mourning, serving as a reminder of the risks faced during daily livelihood activities near forested and riverine areas.
