SHAH ALAM, MALAYSIA - A man faces a bleak future when both
his hands were amputated following a freak accident where he suffered electric
shocks while plucking oil palm fruit at an estate in Tanjung Karang, two months
ago.
Doctors, who are treating Muhamad Hairuman Miskon, 22, have
decided to amputate both his hands below the elbow to avoid infection from
spreading to other parts of his body.
Hairuman’s ordeal started on Nov 26, last year, when he was
plucking oil palm fruit with a friend.
He was using a steel rod with a hook on one end to pluck the
palm oil fruit, unaware that the leaves of the tree were wet from a downpour
the night before and were touching a nearby high-voltage electric cable.
As soon as the rod touched the wet leaves, he suffered shocks
and was thrown off about 5m.
Hairuman suffered more than 50 per cent burns to his body, with
both his hands totally charred.
Since the accident, the victim had been admitted to several
hospitals in Tanjung Karang and Sungai Buloh before he was transferred to Tengku
Ampuan Rahimah Hospital on Monday.
His elder sister, Maryuni Miskon, 32, said doctors told the
family that both of his hands had to be amputated because they were completely
burnt.
“I agree with the surgery if it will help to save his life. At
the same time, I’m also wondering how Hairuman will make a living without his
two hands,” said Maryuni.
She added that Hairuman used to do wiring jobs before the
incident.
She also said she had spent thousands of ringgit on Hairuman’s
medical expenses since the accident.
Members of the Committee of Community Services and Rakan Muda of
the Malaysian Youth Council visited Hairuman yesterday.
Its chairman, Rizan Hassan, urged members of the public and
non-governmental organisations to offer financial assistance to help ease the
victim’s financial burden