IN near-total darkness, broken only by the beams of rescuers’ torches, Civil Defence Force officer Captain Hilmi Husman made discoveries that continue to haunt him years later: the body of a child buried beneath the earth, still wrapped in a blanket, and nearby, the bodies of two family members found locked in an embrace, as though trying to protect each other in their final moments.
These images, he said, remain among the most painful memories from the landslide tragedy at the Father’s Organic Farm campsite in Batang Kali, Selangor, in 2022.
“It is an experience I find hardest to forget. It still plays in my mind until today,” said Hilmi, who was serving as Hulu Selangor District Civil Defence Officer at the time of the disaster.
Hilmi, who now serves as Chief Trainer of the Aquatic Programme at the Civil Defence Training Academy (ALPHA) in Bangi, Selangor, said the tragedy began to unfold shortly after he had concluded an operational coordination meeting with officers from the Hulu Selangor Civil Defence Force.
“As soon as I received the emergency call, I immediately instructed my officers to prepare the appropriate equipment and contacted the police to confirm the incident.
“Initial information indicated that nearly 100 victims were believed to be involved. The figure was shocking and signalled the immense scale of the tragedy.
“When we arrived at the location, it was completely dark and filled with uncertainty. At that moment, my focus was solely on searching and rescuing as quickly as possible. This was the first major disaster I had ever faced,” he said.
As the Civil Defence operations commander and Secretariat to the District Disaster Management Committee, Hilmi remained at the site throughout the nine days of full-scale rescue and recovery operations.
He said one of the greatest challenges was the geographical condition of the area and the depth at which victims were buried by the landslide.
“The access routes were covered in thick mud, lighting was extremely limited, and the victims were buried very deep. All of this slowed down the search,” he said.
Despite the physical danger, exhaustion and emotional strain, Hilmi said the dedication shown by all rescue teams left a lasting impression on him.
“The most touching moment was seeing all the rescue teams, regardless of agency, working together tirelessly to recover every single victim,” he said.
For Captain Hilmi, the Batang Kali tragedy was more than an operational assignment. It was a defining moment that reshaped his outlook on life, underscoring the profound meaning of humanity, solidarity and sacrifice in the face of disaster. - December 16, 2025
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