KUBANG PASU: "I pray that they will get a just punishment for what they have done to my father."
These are the words of Suraiya Izzati, 29, the daughter of Felcra pensioner Sabari Baharom after two suspects were charged with his murder at the Jitra magistrate's court today.
As the eldest of Sabari's three children present at today's proceedings, she stated nothing was more important to the family than seeing justice served for their father.
"I hope that my father will be awarded with the justice he deserves, and I hope that this case will serve as a reminder to everybody that all countries have laws.
"We can't simply just do anything we wish and expect to get away with it. I hope they will be given a just punishment for what they have done to my father," she told reporters in between sobs after the proceedings.
Suraiya said today was the first time she had a close encounter with the two accused.
"It was my first time seeing them, but I did not get to see their faces. I am so devastated, how could they have done that to my father," she said.
Suraiya said that she would follow the case proceedings whenever she is available to attend.
She added the family is still praying that their father's remains would be found and the murder trial would proceed smoothly.
Earlier, Suraiya was seen breaking down in tears after she saw the two suspects being escorted to the magistrate's court this morning.
Contractor Mazuan Hanafi, 38, and his nephew Muhd Asyraf Idris, a factory worker, were jointly charged with murdering Sabari at Sungai Padang Terap bridge in Kampung Empa here about 5.30am on Sept 5.
Mazuan and Asyraf nodded when the charge was read by the court interpreter before magistrate Nurul Huda Idris.
The charge was framed under Section 302 of the Penal Code, which carries a death penalty or up to 40 years' imprisonment, and no less than 12 strokes of whipping, if not sentenced to death.
No plea was recorded from both accused as the murder charge is under the purview of the High Court.
The suspects, who were detained on Sept 27, were initially remanded by the Sik district police for investigation into the discovery of the victim's charred Proton Waja in Kampung Pulau Belantek last month.
It was reported that Sabari, 62, was believed to have left his house in Kampung Mengkuang Tengah in Kupang, Baling.
However, it was later established that the father of three, who was living alone, was instead abducted by the suspects in the wee hours of Sept 4, in an apparent robbery that went awry.
Police obtained a breakthrough into the case after arresting a 62-year-old woman after it was discovered that there were suspicious money transfers from Sabari's account following his disappearance.
On Sept 30, police reclassified the case as a murder investigation following the arrest of two prime suspects who were previously doing renovation work at Sabari's neighbour's home.
According to Kedah police chief Datuk Fisol Salleh, the suspects admitted to binding Sabari's hands, taping his mouth, and throwing him into Sungai Padang Terap.