KUBANG PASU: She is well aware that hope is thin for the body of her slain husband Sabari Baharom to be recovered, nearly a month after being thrown into Sungai Padang Terap by his abductors.
However, Subhiah Roslina Shahibi, 57, is still praying that, eventually, her husband's body is found.
"After all the horrible things done by the cold-blooded suspects to him, all I wish now is to have a proper grave for my husband.
"I will be here, waiting. I have taken a leave from work just to be here," said Subhiah who is attached to Felcra headquarters.
She was met at the search operation site in Kampung Lubuk Batu, Wang Tepus in Jitra here upon arriving from Kuala Lumpur, accompanied by several relatives.
Subhiah, who married Sabari on Dec 5, 2018, described him as a kind and soft-spoken person who would never harm anyone.
"My husband served in several states during his service with Felcra and never once did any of our colleagues say anything negative about him. All I heard were compliments about his kindness.
"Recently he jokingly told me to be careful when walking around Kuala Lumpur and to stay away from areas affected by sinkholes.
"He said it would be difficult for him to live if he lost me, but it turned out that he's the one that went missing," she said in a shattered voice. Subhiah said she would sorely miss Sabari's cooking, especially his curry.
"To me, the suspects are cold-blooded. How could they simply throw a man who is still alive into the river without a second thought?
"I hope the authorities will punish them for their crime," said Subhiah, adding that she accepted her husband's death as God's will.
Meanwhile, the search operation covering the 12.8km radius of Sungai Padang Terap has been suspended at 6pm today and will resume tomorrow morning.
Yesterday, police reclassified Sabari's missing persons case as a murder investigation after arresting two men suspected of his abduction.
Kedah police chief Datuk Fisol Salleh said that the suspects, aged 26 and 38, admitted to murdering the victim by throwing him into the river with his hands bound and mouth taped.
On Sept 24, Fisol confirmed the detention of a 62-year-old woman to assist in the investigation into Sabari's disappearance.
A father of three, Sabari was reported missing on Sept 3 after leaving his home in Kampung Mengkuang Tengah, Kuala Pegang, Baling, in a Proton Waja.
His car was later found burned in Belantik, Sik, with no trace of him since.