JOHOR BAHRU: “I am not coming home anymore; I am going underground.” Those were the last words of Sarawakian welder Wilson Banggau who was killed in a small explosion at a factory in the Tanjung Langsat industrial area in Pasir Gudang, near here, on Saturday.
The deceased’s cousin, Suzy Michael said the 46-year-old victim had posted a message to her before heading to his workplace on the day of the incident.
“I am really shocked, I thought Wilson was joking with his cousins who live here, that he wanted to go underground. I never thought that it was a sign that he would be leaving us for good,” she said when met at Taman Megah Ria here today.
According to Suzy, Wilson who was fondly known as Didi among his family and friends, also managed to send a video to his cousins before starting work on that fateful day.
However, the cousins did not expect the video to be the last one received from Wilson and also thought that the news received from one of the victims, Mohd Syafiq Mohd Rahman, was also a joke.
In the incident on Saturday afternoon, Wilson was killed after falling down 15 metres from a tank due to the impact of the blast while two other workers, Mohd Syafiq, 23, the son of Wilson’s girlfriend, and Bonsi Buli, 42, were injured.
“Mohd Syafiq was very close to the deceased as the former’s mother, Suriati Abdullah, 53 and Wilson planned to return to Kampung Kluh Kemintin in Sri Aman, Sarawak to seek their parents’ blessings to get married,” said Suzy.
Meanwhile, another cousin, Selomah Balit said Wilson had 10 years of experience in the welding field.
“Here, Didi stayed with his 57-year-old aunt, Perak Nilah. He was the eldest and only son of three siblings. He was friendly, of good character and was liked by his relatives and friends.
“His father in the village had been informed of the fatal incident. He was very shocked and sad with the news. Wilson had met me and a friend on the night before the incident,” she said, adding that his remains would be taken to his village for burial.
Those who wish to donate can contact the victim’s father, Banggau anak Ngilah at 010-5935388 or do so via bank transfer to CIMB account 7033726777. ‒ Bernama
