KUCHING: Deputy Chief Minister Tan Sri Datuk Amar Dr James Jemut Masing today (June 2) witnessed the funeral of his younger brother Jantai, who passed away from Covid-19 in Kapit on Monday (May 31).
“Today, I had to bury my younger brother. It was so hard to only be able to see from a distance as they lowered the wrapped coffin into the ground as we were not allowed to go near the gravesite,” he said.
He stressed that Covid-19 should be taken seriously, describing the pain of “losing someone you cannot hold or see for the last time as unbearable”.
“Everyone must be aware of how dangerous this pandemic is. The sooner we get vaccinated, the better it is,” he stressed.
“Rest in peace, dear brother,” said Masing in a Facebook post today, in which he also shared the last picture he had taken with Jantai at Rantau Penora.
In an earlier Facebook post on Monday, the Baleh assemblyman said he was in Kapit visiting his nephew and Jantai’s son Nicholas Kudi, who is a political secretary to the chief minister.
He said both of Nicholas’ parents passed away due to Covid-19.
“Listening to his ordeal of watching his parents die in Kapit Hospital because of Covid-19… it’s horrible! It’s a vision we see in our nightmares!” he said.
He said Kapit Hospital was running out of facilities required to treat Covid-19 patients, while frontliners were at the point of exhaustion in doing their best to deal with the pandemic.
“The only way to save Kapit and the rest of Sarawak from the devastating effects of the deadly Covid-19 pandemic is the vaccine.
“The faster this government can roll out the vaccine, the better. The rolling out of the vaccine should be our number one priority,” said Masing.
