SIBU, March 11 — The residents of two longhouses in Sungai Aup, about 10km from here, have been holding prayer sessions nightly to seek the safety of the 239 people on board a Malaysia Airlines (MAS) aircraft that went missing without a trace early last Saturday.

More significantly, the residents of Rh Catherine Tamoh and Rh Maling are praying for a relative, chief steward Andrew Peter Nari, 49, who was a crew on Flight MH370 that disappeared over the South China Sea at 1.30 am while en route from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing.

Andrew is the son of Catherine, 67, a retired teacher who was appointed a longhouse chief by the Sarawak government last year. She has 87 families under her care.

Catherine’s brother, Augustine Liom, 61, said relatives, fellow longhouse folks and friends had been coming to offer prayers and express support for the family since Saturday evening.

“We are turning to God because the hope of Andrew coming back to us is becoming slimmer and slimmer by the day. We go by prayers for God’s power to provide a miracle,” he told reporters last night after a prayer session conducted by the Rajang Park Christian Rosary Group.  

He said Catherine was now in Kuala Lumpur to be with Andrew’s family.

Andrew’s father, a Melanau from Dalat in the Mukah Division, was a teacher. He died in Kuching 11 years ago.

Augustine, a practising lawyer who was once a sessions court judge, said Catherine was of strong character but was extremely sad over the incident.

“We are all taking it very hard but we are still holding on to hope although today is the third day of the incident with absolutely no positive development or clue whatsoever,” he said.

Andrew, who joined MAS in September 1989, is married to a former MAS stewardess, also from here. They have two children and reside in Puchong, Selangor.

“Andrew or ‘Woo’, as he is fondly known, is a very good son to his mother, a very good father to his children and a very good husband to his wife. He and his family visit us especially during each Gawai Dayak Festival and Christmas,” said Augustine.

“As he has no other immediate uncle, he stayed with me for quite a while when he continued with his secondary school education in Kuching.       

“He is, by nature, a very friendly person and makes friends easily. If you go to his Facebook account, you will see many friends offering words of hope and encouragement,” he said.

Augustine said the last time Andrew came home was during Christmas last year but he had to cut short his visit as he was recalled to work.

“Andrew used to come back whenever he was free as being a MAS staff he enjoys a good discount on the airline,” he said.

Meanwhile, the residents of the two neighbouring longhouses are chipping in to a fund set up to assist Catherine and the family in Kuala Lumpur, in the true longhouse community spirit. — Bernama