Father Carries His Baby's Casket For An Hour Due To Bad Road Condition In Sabah
The funeral van could not enter his housing area because of the poor road condition and there was a lack of cell phone coverage for them to call for help.
By Suraya Athira — 17 Aug 2022, 10:12 AM
Recently, a post about a Sabahan man who was forced to carry his daughter's body for an hour went viral on Facebook
The incident happened in April 2022 but only went viral this week. According to a post on Van Jenazah Percuma - Persatuan Amal Dan Jariah Sabah Facebook page, the community organisation sponsored a coffin for the man's five-month-old baby because they came from a poor family.
However, midway through the journey from Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Kota Kinabalu to the man's house in Kampung Samparita Tengah, Kota Marudu, Sabah, the hearse was not able to enter the area due to the poor condition of the road.
According to a Facebook post by Sabah Info, the volunteers tried to call for help but failed due to the lack of phone coverage in the area.
"The man had to carry the body of his baby and walked for an hour to reach their house," read the post.
The incident prompted netizens to call out the authorities responsible for the infrastructure in Sabah
"Road, water, and electricity are essentials that need to be prioritised apart from healthcare and education. What is the point of having skyscrapers if the people are living in poverty?" commented a Facebook user.
Another user pointed out the difference between the urban and rural areas, saying, "Why are the facilities only available in cities (but not rural areas)?"
"Please open your eyes, dear authorities. For how long should Sabah people live like this? Improve the infrastructures and facilities for the betterment of their lives," commented a netizen.
Another netizen shared the condition of a route that people in Kudat, about 190km from Kota Kinabalu, have to take to transfer dead bodies, saying, "People have to cross the river by walking on a fallen tree (that acts as a bridge). It's difficult when it's raining heavily. Imagine carrying a dead body on this bridge."
They also praised the community organisation for helping the poor family manage their funeral, saying, "May God bless the people who helped those in need."
A Facebook user also praised the leader of the NGO and the volunteers for being an inspiration to the youth.
