TAPAH:“I am still not satisfied.” This was the statement of Sergeant Norihan a/l Tari, of the General Operations Force (GOF), Northern Brigade 3rd Battalion over the loss of his comrade, Sergeant Baharuddin Ramli in the shooting incident at the Malaysia-Thailand border, last month.

Norihan, 39, who survived after being shot three times by smugglers while carrying out intelligence duties with Baharuddin, described the deceased as an expert especially tracing tracks in the forest.

"I am still learning from the deceased and did not have time to acquire his expertise in greater depth. When I have fully recovered, the first thing I want to do is to practise the techniques he taught me including tracing the tracks of animals and humans in the forest," he said.

He was speaking to reporters after receiving a contribution from Yayasan Pengaman Malaysia Board of Trustees member, Datuk Kamaruddin Mat Desa at GOF Battalion 3 in Bidor here, today. Also receiving the   donation was the widow of the late Baharuddin, Relow Ko.

In the incident at 3.10 am on Nov 24, Norihan was seriously injured while Baharuddin was killed when the two members were involved with Op Benteng at the national border.

"I was very sad and shocked because I did not know that Baharuddin had died until my wife told me about it two days after my operation," said Norihan.

Norihan said he was allowed to return home to Bidor on Dec 6 after undergoing a surgery to remove a bullet near the lungs at Penang Hospital (HPP) on Nov 26, while two more bullets are still embedded in the abdomen and hip bone.

"Both bullets have not been removed due to safety as surgery has the risk of leaving me paralysed," he said.

Asked about his current health status, Norihan, who has been a police officer for 17 years, said his condition had improved but he was only allowed to take soft foods such as porridge and was scheduled to see a bowel specialist next week at HPP.

"I am able to walk without help but felt a little weak after walking a distance because of the injury to my lungs," he said, who will also seek treatment from an orthopedist at the same hospital.

Sharing the tragic story, Norihan said he went to seek help while covered with blood as a result of being shot as instructed by the late Baharuddin.

"Despite the gunshot wounds, I ran in the trail and hills for a kilometre before arriving at Post TS9 near Padang Besar in the hope that the late Baharuddin is still safe, but the opposite happened," he said, adding that he would never forget the incident.           

-- BERNAMA