PUSA: Jamie Taha, 54, felt uneasy the whole day on July 2. That was the day her husband, Sarkawi Talip, 61, went to collect sago stems in Sungai Undai and never returned.
Hours later, she was shocked to learn that he had been attacked by a crocodile in the river and was missing.
“All day long, I asked myself why I felt so uneasy. Was I going to meet my end? I felt weird even when getting ready for the Zuhur prayer,” she said.
Jamie knew instinctively that something was very wrong — her thoughts confirmed when she received two phone calls from her husband’s friend.
“He later came to inform me what had happened to Sarkawi at Sungai Undai.”
Sarkawi was attacked by a crocodile around noon on July 2 as he was collecting sago stems in Sungai Undai. His friend witnessed the attack.
Jamie said there were some changes in her husband’s behaviour a few days before the incident.
“There were some changes but I only realised them after everything had happened,” she said.
According to the mother of five, the first obvious change to her husband, lovingly known as Ngah Kawi to her, was that he kept quiet, which was unlike him.
“The villagers even told me about this unusual change because he is usually very friendly.
“Secondly, the night before the tragedy, he only ate a bit. He is usually a heavy eater.
“Also, that night, he did not even play with his grandson — that is what we noticed,” said Jamie.
Her brother Ibrahim Taha also told her that a few days before the incident, he had a nightmare.
“My brother said he dreamt that I was investing money in the area where my husband was reported to have been attacked by the crocodile.
“I did not have any strange dreams. Ever since the tragedy, I have been hoping to dream something about the tragedy’ about my husband. But I did not have any dreams.”
Jamie added, “My family and I hope that my husband’s body will be found soon. I will not stop praying.
“Every time I go to the river to witness the search and rescue (SAR) operations, I whisper ‘Come home’ to my husband.”
She said her greatest hope was to see her husband’s body in front of her eyes.
She believes her husband’s body is lying somewhere not far from the location of the crocodile attack on that day.
Sarkawi hailed from Igan. He and Jamie were blessed with four children — Nor Faizura 31; Nor Azizi 29; Siti Nurul Syafiqah, 23; and Nor Nazimy 16 along with two grandchildren.
The SAR operations to find Sarkawi’s body entered its fifth day today (July 6).
