KLIA shooting victim is veteran bodyguard covering his colleague for Hari Raya

A bodyguard who was shot at Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) on April 14 had been standing in for his colleague, who was on holiday because of Hari Raya Aidilfitri.

Mr Mohd Nur Hadith, nicknamed Along, has been working with Elite Bodyguard Service Company for the past four years and has 18 years of experience as a bodyguard, said the company's director Rashid Ratag.

The 37-year-old's expertise includes being a personal driver for VVIPs and being a bodyguard cum driver.

He was selected for his high-risk client, Mdm Farah M. Isa, a well-known head of a haj agency in Malaysia.

Mr Nur and Mdm Farah were in the arrival hall of KLIA's Terminal 1 to receive Muslim pilgrims returning from Mecca at about 1.30am when two shots were fired.

Mr Nur protected his client and took one bullet to the stomach. The bullet missed his vital organs and left him in critical condition.

A suspect, identified as Mdm Farah's estranged husband Hafizul Harawi, was arrested in Kota Baru, Kelantan, following a manhunt. The 38-year-old was nabbed on April 15, at around 3pm.

Police said Hafizul Harawi had a personal vendetta against his wife and they were in the midst of getting a divorce. Photo: Bernama

According to a Facebook post by Mdm Farah, Mr Nur was severely injured and remains in a coma at Cyberjaya Hospital in Selangor.

Mr Rashid commended Mr Nur's bravery and said: "I didn’t expect Along to be so committed to the task given to him that he was willing to risk his life."