BILAL COMES TO AID OF 70 NON-MUSLIMS
Sapno Tukijo, 50, sheltered flood victims, who were wading through chest-deep water, at Surau Taman Free School
GEORGE TOWN
THE bilal of Surau Taman Free School may have saved the lives of 70 non-Muslims wading through chest-deep floodwaters to reach higher ground.
Sapno Tukijo, 50, invited the flood victims to shelter at the surau. Initially, they were reluctant to accept his offer as they did not want to get him into trouble. But, as the situation grew more desperate and Sapno more insistent, they took up his offer.
Sapno said he had watched the victims, from a nearby village, fighting the raging floodwaters in Lengkuk P. Ramlee about 2am on Sunday.
Sapno added that they had tried to get to the nearest temple by tying a rope to two electricity poles and holding on to it as they tried wading across the road.
“However, the effort was futile as the water level had surged too quickly and reached chest level. It became too risky for them to wade through the floodwaters.
“Initially, they refused to follow me to the surau as they thought it would create an issue with certain people, seeing non-Muslims in the surau.
“I explained that it was okay for them to stay there and they agreed and followed me,” he said.
A picture of some of the victims resting on the second floor of the surau went viral on social media.
“As long as their lives are saved (I don’t care).
“I would feel guilty if I had ignored their plight,” he said.
Sapno said some of the victims had left their homes with only the clothes on their backs.
“My wife and gave them telekung to use as blankets as they were shivering.”
His “guests” left the surau later that day, saying they did not want to be a burden on the bilal and his wife.
Initially, they refused to follow me to the surau as they thought it would create an issue with certain people, seeing non-Muslims in the surau.
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