A mother has urged the driver involved in a hit-and-run incident in late March to come forward and lodge a police report, after the crash left her only son with his left leg amputated.
Afidah Suhaili, 68, said her family holds no grudge and simply hopes the individual will take responsibility so that the case can be properly resolved.
“There is CCTV footage from a nearby house showing the driver getting out of the vehicle before leaving the scene, but the registration number could not be clearly identified,” she said when met at her home in Jalan Bako.
She also called on members of the public who may have CCTV or dashcam recordings of the incident to assist authorities in their investigation.
The accident occurred at about 8.30pm on March 30, when 24-year-old food delivery rider Putra Aqmal Syukrie Sabli was travelling from Jalan Song to Stutong. A vehicle believed to be a Toyota Avanza allegedly made a sudden turn into a junction, leading to the collision.
Putra Aqmal said he attempted to avoid the vehicle, but his leg struck the side of the car, causing him to fall onto the road.
“I was conscious and shouted for help. I had to wait nearly an hour before the ambulance arrived,” he said, adding that he had just resumed work after the Aidilfitri holidays.
Although his leg was not severed at the scene, Afidah said her son had to wait nearly 15 hours before undergoing surgery, which began around 4.30am the following day.
Doctors initially attempted to save the limb by repairing blood vessels, but later made the decision to amputate his leg to save his life.
Putra Aqmal, a former tahfiz student at Madrasah Darul Uloom Islamiyyah Kuching and ex-acting imam at Surau Mahmudi in Kampung Gita, said he is learning to accept the situation.
“Allah has not taken my life, only my leg,” he said, noting that he previously earned about RM2,000 monthly as a delivery rider while also teaching children to recite the Quran.
Afidah added that her son is still undergoing treatment and rehabilitation, and is expected to receive assistance for a prosthetic leg costing around RM50,000 in the coming months.
She said the family is currently applying for aid from the Social Welfare Department, while also receiving contributions from elected representatives and the public. Monthly expenses for medication and care are estimated at about RM1,000.
Meanwhile, Kuching police chief Assistant Commissioner Alexson Naga Chabu said the case is being investigated under Section 43(1) of the Road Transport Act 1987 for reckless and dangerous driving.
He confirmed that, so far, no police report has been lodged by the driver involved and no witnesses have come forward to assist in the investigation.
Members of the public who wish to help the family can contribute via a CIMB Bank account registered under the victim’s sister.
