KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 3 — A 10th wedding anniversary, an occasion that should have been marked with gifts and quality time together, has instead become a period of anxious waiting for Hani Othman, whose husband, Senior Fire Officer II (PBK II) Mohd Fakhrul Munir Mohd Isa, remains missing following a flood tragedy in Rasuwa, Nepal, on August 26.
On their anniversary today, Hani took to Facebook to express her hope that her husband, affectionately known as Loe, would return home as promised.
“You were supposed to come back today. You promised to bring home an anniversary gift. I’m nervous wondering what gift you’re going to give me this year,” she wrote.
For Hani, Loe’s return would mean more than celebrating their anniversary. It would also allow the couple to pursue the many dreams they had planned together.
They are scheduled to sit for the Malaysian Skills Certificate (SKM) examination under the Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) framework on September 6. In October, they planned to attend a diving course on Tioman Island to obtain their divemaster certifications.
The couple had also planned to climb Mount Rinjani in May and Mount Kilimanjaro in August next year. Loe’s greatest ambition was to reach the summit of Mount Everest, an achievement he hoped to accomplish alongside Hani.
“I told you we would train together and that I would accompany you all the way to the summit of Everest this time, didn’t I? Your dream of reaching the Everest summit hasn’t been fulfilled yet. Please, where are you?” Hani wrote.
Mohd Fakhrul Munir, 44, a member of the Fire and Rescue Department’s Air Special Operations Unit (PASKUB), was reported missing after the expedition team he was travelling with was caught in flooding, believed to have occurred in a valley in Rasuwa.
Also reported missing from the same expedition was Mohd Sani Harul, the deputy director of operations at the Fire and Rescue Department of Malaysia (JBPM).
Two days after the incident, Hani flew to Kathmandu on her own initiative to seek the latest information on the search and rescue operation. Today marks her sixth day in Nepal.
While there, she has shared updates on social media, including efforts to gather essential supplies for disaster victims. She has also sought permission to enter the affected areas to distribute aid.
Hani had previously expressed her wish to join a volunteer team travelling to camps housing survivors, in the hope of finding her husband.
Mohd Fakhrul Munir is among the Malaysians who remain uncontactable following the flash floods in Nepal, as efforts to locate the missing group continue.
A total of 55 Malaysians were reported uncontactable after the disaster on August 26. Another 77 Malaysians, who were confirmed safe in Tibet and Nepal, have been brought to Kathmandu for processing before returning to Malaysia.
Anadolu Agency reported that the disaster’s death toll had risen to 1,220, while 4,762 people, including 844 foreign nationals, remained missing. — Bernama
