ID :
70893
Sat, 07/18/2009 - 13:02
Auther :

TSUNAMI SURVIVOR FINDS A SECOND CHANCE AT LIFE IN M`SIA

Voon Miaw Ping

KUALA LUMPUR, July 17 (Bernama) -- Rizal Shahputra looked healthy and happy.
With a broad smile on his face he walked into the room for an interview with
Malaysian National News Agency (Bernama).

"I am feeling good. I have been progressing well in my studies and my life
has been great so far. God has been very kind to me," said the miracle survivor
of devastating tsunami who made world headlines in early 2005.

The 24-year-old Acehnese is taking up a degree course in English Language
and Communications at the University College Sedaya International (UCSI) campus
in Cheras.

Rizal who only understood three English words - yes, no and thank you - when
he first settled in Malaysia about four years ago now can converse articulately
in English.

Being an avid learner of languages, the youth also picked up French, Arabic,
Persian and Chinese dialects from his international friends at the college.

Besides learning and polishing his language skills and socialising with his
peers, he is also into bodybuilding and looking at his muscular physique it is
obvious that he spends considerable time in gyms.

"Body building is my new interest and I have put in a lot of work in it,
from the physical training down to the nutrition and dietary aspects," he said.

A FATEFUL EVENT THAT BROUGHT HIM HERE
Looking at this down to earth youth, however, there was no telling that he
is the same person who hogged the limelight in early 2005 after he miraculously
survived a nine-day ordeal at sea in the aftermath of the devastating tsunami in
2004.

On Jan 5, 2005, Rizal was rescued from the Indian Ocean some 100 nautical
miles off Banda Aceh after being spotted by a passing cargo ship MV Durban
Bridge heading towards Malaysia and Singapore from South Africa.

That picture of him, a scrawny sun-baked man clad in a yellow T-shirt with
one hand holding tightly to the tree trunk while another waving desperately in
the middle of the ocean was quickly splashed all over the world.

He drifted in the open sea for nine days after being washed away by the
catastrophic tsunami that wiped out his hometown in Banda Aceh and killed some
250,000 people in 11 countries. The biggest number of casualities are from Aceh.

Rizal recalled that he was part of a gotong-royong (community programme)
team working at the mosque with his father and other male relatives when the
tsunami struck.

"I asked my father whether he had seen anything like that in his life. And
he replied no. That was our last conversation, and the next thing I knew,
everybody was running for their lives as another giant wave came rushing towards
us," he said.

Recalling his harrowing experience at the ocean, Rizal said if it was not
for his father's words of encouragement that kept ringing in his ears he would
not have survived.

"It was father's words that told me to keep strong and never let go. I
refused to let go the tree trunk even when seeing my companions at that time,
had one by one gave up and let themselves swallowed by the sea.

"By the fourth day I was the only one left clinging to the tree trunk after
the policeman clinging to the same trunk gave up and left his fate to the sea.
It was frightening as I was all alone and there were dead bodies floating
everywhere. There were even sharks that circled me but thank god they did not
harm me.

"It was also God's will. I can never thank God enough for showing me mercy
and giving another chance to live. I thank him for every moment that I am
alive," he added.

Throughout the ordeal he survived on rainwater and coconuts.

EVERYTHING HAS CHANGED NOW
After the tragedy, Rizal was adopted by UCSI and was offered a full
scholarship to pursue his a certificate programme in English Language and later
a degree.

He has been under the tutelage and care of UCSI vice president Prof Dr
Norfadzillah Hitam, whom he now regards as his guardian.

"She (Dr. Norfadzillah) helps me a lot. She is like a mother to me. She
guided me through when I just started in Malaysia," he said.

In 2007 and 2008, Rizal made trips back to his hometown in Calang, near
Banda Aceh.

"When I returned, it was totally an unknown place to me," said Rizal who
lost all his family members except for an older brother.

"The feeling is strange.it seems that I do not belong there anymore. I felt
alienated. Almost 80 percent of the villagers had moved away since the disaster,
and now I cannot recognise the people and the landscape anymore.

"Even I am no longer close with my surviving brother. I guess the trauma has
set us apart. It makes me feel lonely and empty when I think of that," he
said.

Despite undergoing counseling, he still suffers from recurring nightmares
of the tragedy.

"I still cry now. Cry when I think of my family and recall of the tragedy,"
said Rizal.

WANT TO RETURN HOME
Rizal will finish his degree next year and his immediate plan is to work for
UCSI.

But eventually, the miracle survivor hopes to return home.

"I want to return to Aceh. I have been given another chance to live and I
want to make good of it. I want to open a school and teach English there," he
said.
-- BERNAMA


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