Sunday, Aug 26, 2012
Hari Raya is supposed to be a happy occasion.
But this year, it was a time of sadness for the 364 people made homeless by the fire that destroyed part of Kampung Seraya in Batam on Tuesday.
Where their houses once stood, only charred concrete walls now remain.
Despite this, many of the villagers still managed to crack a smile when The New Paper visited them on Thursday.
But they cringed at the mere mention of Kerri Kassam, the Singaporean man who had allegedly started the blaze.
And when this reporter told them that he seeks their forgiveness, they voiced in unison: "Forgive him? We lost everything because of him!"
Another villager, Mr Rasid, 30, told TNP: "I have two daughters, one who is four and another who is six.
"They don't deserve this. They are now homeless. And it's all because of one man's marital problems."
Mr Rasid, a security guard, said that he too finds it difficult to forgive Kerri.
"The wound is still fresh. I don't know what I will do to him if I see him. We now have nowhere to go. Maybe one day, I will forgive him. But not now."
The village is located in a hilly area comprising flimsy shacks made out of wood and concrete.
Some of the houses were no bigger than the bedroom of an HDB flat.
With houses built so close together, it was easy to see how the fire managed to spread.
The affected area - which is about the size of half a football field - now looks like a warzone.
And even though the fire was extinguished on Tuesday, an acrid smell still lingered.
Some of the more enterprising villagers were seen digging through the rubble with their bare hands, looking for bits of metal they could salvage and sell.
Looking lost
But many more simply poked around where their houses once stood, forlornly looking for their once-treasured possessions.
Madam Fammy, whose house was burnt to the ground, said that the girl who died in the blaze, Stella Hitipeaw, 9, was her next-door neighbour.
"I cried when I saw Stella's body being taken away. She was such a lovely young girl. Why does she have to die in such a terrible way?"
Madam Fammy, 46, used to live a house with her husband and two children, Yudiyono, 11 and Fanny, 14.
Now, they and the others affected by the blaze are seeking shelter at an emergency centre located a five-minutes walk from the charred rubble that was once their village.
The shelter is made up of a bungalow and many villagers were spotted rummaging through a pile of clothes that well-wishers had donated.
A tent had been erected in the courtyard and this is where many more whose homes were razed will spend the night.