[top photo: Mr Mohamed Hafizal with his brother, Mr Mohamed Imzan (on the left)]

By Arul John

HIS right leg was bleeding and the skin from his right knee had been ripped off.

But Kota Tinggi Hospital's medical team only cleaned the wounds and did not apply bandages, he claimed. He was not warded.

So, Mr Mohamed Hafizal Mohamed Tahir, 26, who was still bleeding, made a painful journey across the Causeway to head straight to Changi General Hospital's accident and emergency unit.

Surgery

There, he was admitted and later underwent surgery to clean up the wound on his right ankle.

Mr Mohamed Hafizal, who is unemployed, and his girlfriend, shipping logistics officer Nurhidah Tukiman, 27, were injured in a road accident in Johor last Monday, the first day of Chinese New Year.

He was riding his Suzuki GSR600 motorcycle, while Miss Nurhidah rode pillion.

After the accident, they were taken to Kota Tinggi Hospital by ambulance.

Mr Mohamed Hafizal said: 'The nurses cut open my jeans to expose the wounds and cleaned the wounds with a yellow antiseptic fluid. Blood was still flowing from a puncture wound in my right ankle.

'I should at least have been warded, but the nurses did not even bandage my wounds. One member of the hospital staff even asked me to pay RM100 ($42) for hospital registration fees for both of us while I was lying on a bed.'

Mr Mohamed Hafizal's elder brother, technician Mohamed Imzan, 32, and his wife had followed the couple to Kota Tinggi in their Subaru sedan. They were also following them back home when the accident occurred.

When Mr Mohamed Imzan saw what was being done for his brother and girlfriend at the Johor hospital, he decided to take them to Changi General Hospital (CGH) for treatment instead.

He said Mr Mohamed Hafizal sat in the front passenger seat with him, while Miss Nurhidah sat in the back with his wife.

Unfortunately, it was a public holiday that day, so there was a long line of vehicles at the Woodlands Checkpoint.

Mr Mohamed Imzan said: 'Mohamed Hafizal and his girlfriend were groaning in pain. He was also feeling giddy and nauseous.

'I was concerned and told my wife and his girlfriend to keep talking to him to keep him awake.'

The group reached CGH at 1am on Tuesday and Mr Mohamed Hafizal and Miss Nurhidah were quickly taken to the emergency ward for treatment.

Pools of blood

Mr Mohamed Imzan said there were pools of blood where his brother and Miss Nurhidah had earlier sat in his car and blood from his wounds dripped on the hospital floor.

Miss Nurhidah was quickly treated and warded, but Mr Mohamed Hafizal had to undergo a series of X-rays, dressings and medical examinations before he was finally admitted at 6am that day.

On Wednesday, he underwent surgery to clean up the wound on his right ankle.

Mr Mohamed Hafizal said: 'The doctor said he was able to push a finger into the wound until he hit the bone. I had to take several painkillers, was put on antibiotic drips and occasionally needed oxygen to ease my breathing.

'Despite her pain, my girlfriend occasionally came to my ward and sat by my bedside to comfort me.'

The couple were discharged on Friday and Mr Mohamed Hafizal's hospital bill was about $1,100.

Mr Mohamed Hafizal and Miss Nurhidah, together with seven other motorcyclists and three pillion riders, left Singapore for Kota Tinggi for some swimming and sightseeing on 26Jan.

It was nearly 8pm when the group headed home along poorly lit and bumpy roads.

Along Jalan Johor, a two-lane dual carriageway, Mr Mohamed Imzan said a Proton Wira car suddenly shot out from behind him, hit an oncoming car and then moved back into the left lane.

Mr Mohamed Hafizal said: 'I suddenly saw a bright flash of light in my right side mirror. I heard a loud bang as the Proton Wira hit my motorcycle from behind.'

The impact lifted his bike up in the air. Mr Mohamed Hafizal pushed Miss Nurhidah off the bike moments before it hit the ground. She rolled and fell onto the tarmac.

The motorbike then fell to the right side of the road, pushing Mr Mohamed Hafizal onto the road. The Proton car dragged him and the bike for about 10m before he rolled away towards the left side of the road.

He said: 'The car's front left tyre rolled over my right foot, then it swerved to the right and landed in a ditch on the right side of the road.

'One oncoming car stopped just 1m away from my head.'

An off-duty policeman who had stopped rushed to the car in the ditch but found that the driver had fled the scene.

Yesterday, Mr Mohamed Hafizal and his brother returned to Kota Tinggi to make a police report on the accident.

He said: 'This accident made me appreciate the good service we get in Singapore.'

Additional reporting by Sing Keng Loon, newsroom intern

This article was first published in The New Paper on Feb 3, 2009.