Agriculture and Agro-based Industry Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Shabery Cheek was supposed to board the ill-fated helicopter which went missing on Thursday and crashed near Sungai Batang Lupar.
His bodyguard, Fadhrul Azmar Remli, told Bernama that as Shabery was about to board the helicopter to return to Kuching, Sarawak Deputy Chief Minister Tan Sri Alfred Jabu offered his official helicopter to him.
“Shabery was about to board the helicopter when at the last minute, Jabu suggested that he switched to another helicopter,” Fadhrul told Bernama.
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Fadhrul said that the minister attended a function with Jabu at Tanjung Bijat, which he went by road from Kuching. After the event, Shabery had wanted to go Spaoh town to attend a function with farmers. As Shabery was about to leave for Kuching after the Spaoh function, Jabu offered him his copter.
Fadhrul also added the helicopter that Shabery was supposed to take was then instructed to go to Betong and pick up Noriah and her entourage.
