That was the harrowing tale shared by Nor Atiqah Norman Shah of Melaka, who was rescued after the ferry taking passengers from the Kuah Ferry Terminal to Kuala Perlis caught fire on Monday (Feb 25) evening, according to state-run Bernama online.

She said passengers saw three crew members running from the engine section to meet the captain.

“Three times I asked them why the engine compartment was filled with smoke, but they ignored me. Then the passenger area on the left side and near to the engine section caught fire.”

“The whole compartment was filled with smoke and that was when we were all ordered to go to the front and exit the ferry,” she told Bernama at the Kuah Ferry Terminal here.

Nor Atiqah said she and her eight family members as well as other passengers started scrambling to save themselves.

“Some had time to wear life jackets, some didn’t. We were then transferred to two fishing boats and a tourist boat which had rushed to our rescue,” said Nor Atiqah, who works at a private firm in Gelang Patah, Johor.

Nor Atiqah and her family, who have been here since Saturday (Feb 23) for holidays, said all their bags and purchases went up in smoke.

Meanwhile, Suhidah Suib said the whole thing happened so fast that she too did not have time to save any of her belongings.

“The moment the ferry left the terminal, there was already a strong smell of fuel. Then the ferry stopped and it seemed like it was going to go back to the Kuah terminal.

“There was thick smoke and the back of the ferry caught fire. We were told to get out and I got into a fishing boat.

“At that time, there was a huge fire on the ferry and we even heard explosions,” said Suhidah, who was visibly shaken by the incident.

At the Kuah Ferry Terminal, various government agencies like the Royal Malaysia Police, Fire and Rescue Department, Civil Defence Force, and the Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency assisted the victims.

They were also provided with food and drinks prepared by several hotels.

Langkawi District Civil Defence Force Training and Disaster Operations officer Lt Azamshah Aperal said 49 victims left for Kuala Kedah on the 6pm ferry while two more were being treated at the Sultanah Maliha Hospital.

Kim started off on his long train trip Saturday afternoon, departing from Pyonngyang’s train station at around 4:30 p.m.

If Kim were to take the train all the way to Dong Dang station in Vietnam — from where he is expected to transfer to a motor vehicle to complete the trip to Hanoi — the train ride is expected to take approximately 60 hours.

From Dong Dang Station in Lang Son Province, it will take about three hours to reach Hanoi by car. The straight-line distance between Pyonyang and Hanoi is 4,500 kilometers.

Experts believe one of the reasons Kim is taking a train to Hanoi is because it is how his grandfather, Kim Il-sung, North Korea’s founder, traveled for his visits to Vietnam in 1958 and 1964, using airplane and train to reach Hanoi via China. Kim is often seen to replicate his grandfather to reinforce the idea that he is a successor of the Kim regime.

As the train passes through China, the trip is also viewed as a way for North Korea to boast its close ties to its ally.

The armored train is also thought to be a safer choice for Kim, as North Korea’s state jet Chammae-1 is old and there is a lack of experienced pilots.

The Chammae-1 is a Soviet-era IL-62M, that is capable of traveling up to 10,000 kilometers. When Kim traveled to Singapore by plane for his first summit with Trump in June 2018, he did so on a plane borrowed from the Chinese government.

Tak Hyun-min, the former protocol presidential aide for South Korean President Moon Jae-in who recently returned as an adviser, said having the leader take a train was an “excellent choice” of the North Korea’s protocol team.

“First, they made Kim’s transportation the news. They have created enough stories with their soldiers lined up in train stations, and with the historical meaning of travelling by train from North Korea to Vietnam,” Tak wrote in his Facebook post on Monday.

“And having the world, and us, witness the simple fact that the railroad in Pyongyang is connected all the way to Vietnam, it excites us with thoughts that a train that departs from Busan would be able to pass through Pyongyang to reach Southeastern Asian countries, including Vietnam.”

The train Kim is on is often referred as a “special hotel” that can move. The train, which has a label DF-0002 differs from the model that his father Kim Jong-il took, which had the label DF-0001. It is reportedly said that the special train is built with high-level of security facilities and a very hotel-like interior.

Kim is expected to arrive in Vietnam on Tuesday. Reports speculate that Kim may also stop at other areas in Vietnam on his way to Hanoi, to inspect some of the indutrial sites there.

The summit between US President Donald Trump and Kim are scheduled on Wednesday and Thursday, but details have not been released.

During the commemoration of National Waste Awareness Day in Rawajati subdistrict in Pancoran, South Jakarta, on Sunday, Jakarta Environment Agency head Isnawa Adji urged residents of the capital to reduce the use of single-use plastic bags when shopping and carry their own tumbler.

“Let’s start an environmentally friendly movement by carrying our own tumbler and reusable shopping bag,” he said as quoted by kompas.com.

He added such small moves would greatly help conserve the environment if carried out regularly.

“Plastic bags and straws are single use. They end up polluting our waters and become marine debris,” he said.

Jakarta produces 7,400 tons of waste daily, 1,400 tons of which comes from South Jakarta.

Annually, the capital produces 2.5 millions tons of waste, 357,000 of which is plastic. Not all of the waste can be disposed at Bantar Gebang in Bekasi, West Java, the only dump site for Jakarta’s waste that will reach full capacity in 2021.

The agency is drafting a gubernatorial regulation that will ban the use of single-use plastic bags at traditional markets and modern retailers. The draft is expected to be signed by Governor Anies Baswedan in March.

The blaze at the Dragon Star ferry, carrying 52 people, occurred three kilometres off Kuah. It is understood that all passengers escape unscathed. They were rescued by nearby vessels.

The Kedah Fire and Rescue Department operation centre were told of the ferry fire at 2.48pm and a rescue team was despatched to the scene at 2.56pm.

The operation was headed by Deputy Fire Superintendent Johari Mohd Lazim. It involved personnel from the Persiaran Putra and Langkawi Fire and Rescue stations.

According to the Fire and Rescue Department, a passenger first spotted the blaze and raised the alarm.

As the blaze grew, many passengers plunged into the sea to escape.

The authorities despatched two rescue boats and a Kevlar boat to the scene, aided by assets from the Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA) and nearby vessels, to contain the fire.

Firemen boarded the ferry to put out the fire and to ensure no passengers were trapped.

Here is a look at some of the top looks from Tinseltown’s biggest night:

– Ready for their close-up –

The top nominees on Sunday night arrived on the red carpet looking fierce — and ready to have their moment.

    Regina King, who won the best supporting actress prize for her turn in “If Beale Street Could Talk,” turned heads in a strapless white gown with delicate beading, a long train — and a very high leg slit.

She told E! on the red carpet that she chose to wear Oscar de la Renta because her film represented the “fabric of America,” as did the designer.

Lady Gaga, who won for best original song for “A Star Is Born,” oozed Hollywood glamour in a strapless black Alexander McQueen gown with elbow-length gloves, her hair swept up in an elegant twist.

Glenn Close opted for a glittering gold long-sleeved Carolina Herrera gown and marching cape — just like the statuette she had hoped to win.

But it was not to be — Olivia Colman won instead for her work in “The Favourite.”

“I always try to keep my expectations low,” Close told E! television before the gala at the Dolby Theatre.

– Pretty in pink –

Shades of pink were red hot on the red carpet.

“Crazy Rich Asians” star Gemma Chan stunned in a billowing sleeveless Valentino gown in a vibrant neon shade of pink with a high ruffled collar — and pockets.

Angela Bassett (“Black Panther”) slayed in a one-shouldered Reem Acra gown with a bold slit that hugged her curves, and finished the look with a jewel box of a clutch.

Grammy-winning country singer Kacey Musgraves, who is presenting an award on Sunday, and actresses Linda Cardellini (“Green Book”) and Helen Mirren all went for oodles of romantic pink tulle.

Even home organizing guru Marie Kondo — she who sparks joy for millions — hit the red carpet in a joyful pink dress.

And “Aquaman” star Jason Momoa went for a pink tux. Yep, a pink tux with black lapels by Karl Lagerfeld for Fendi — one of the few homages on the red carpet to the late, great designer.

– A hand for the men –

This awards season, Hollywood’s leading men came into their own on the red carpet, turning heads with bold colors, floral prints and even in-your-face harnesses (we’re looking at you, Timothee Chalamet).

Veteran director Spike Lee, who won the best adapted screenplay Oscar for race drama “BlacKkKlansman,” rocked the purple once again, as he did at the Golden Globes and Baftas. He said it was in tribute to Prince.

On his hands: brass knuckle rings spelling out LOVE and HATE.

Actor Stephan James, the star of “If Beale Street Could Talk,” went for a three-piece red velvet Etro suit, while best supporting actor nominee Richard E. Grant (“Can You Ever Forgive Me?”) chose a burgundy dinner jacket with black lapels.

Actor-singer Billy Porter wowed the crowd with a Christian Siriano black velvet tuxedo gown. Yes, you read that right. Respect.

– Women wear the pants (suits) –

Of course, the red carpet featured its share of gorgeous princess gowns, but the women of Tinseltown also showed that they can rock a suit just as well as the men.

Best actress nominee Melissa McCarthy paired black trousers with a white blouse (plunging neckline, of course) featuring a regal floor-length white cape.

Awkwafina (“Crazy Rich Asians”), who presented an award, donned a sparkly pale purple pantsuit from DSquared, the blouse sealed with a floppy pussy bow.

Comedian Amy Poehler went for a classic black tux look as did young actress Elsie Fisher (“Eighth Grade”).

Some of them are already in the Vietnamese capital preparing for his expected arrival early Tuesday, while others joined Kim on his epic train journey across China in his special armoured train.

Who are the cast of characters joining the North Korean leader and what role will they play in Hanoi? AFP takes a look.

– The Righthand Man –

    Kim Yong Chol, a senior North Korean party official and the counterpart to US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, has been on the frontlines of the ongoing diplomacy between Pyongyang and Washington.

He is seen as Kim’s most trusted aide and is accompanying him on his olive green train en route to Vietnam.

Kim flew to Washington with a letter for Trump from the North Korean leader last month, after which the White House announced the second summit to break months of deadlock since the first meeting in Singapore last June.

He was in charge of overseeing negotiations in Singapore — the first-ever summit between the leaders of the US and North Korea — and likely remains a key player in Hanoi.

– The Sister –

Kim Yo Jong has been at her brother’s side since his debut on the international stage for a visit to Beijing last year and is once again travelling with him to Hanoi.

She has been on hand at all times — taking her brother’s coat, studiously writing down his remarks, and handing him a pen for signing joint statements with leaders of China, South Korea and the US.

She grabbed headlines at the Pyeongchang Olympics last year as the public face of the North Korean delegation sent to the Games.

But she’s also earned a reputation of unknowingly putting herself before the camera, straying into the shots of her brother and heads of states on several occasions before scurrying out of the picture.

– The Envoy –

Kim Hyok Chol arrived in Hanoi one week ahead of the summit for preparatory talks with his US counterpart Stephen Biegun.

A former North Korean ambassador to Spain — before he was expelled amid soaring nuclear tensions in 2017 — Kim was introduced as Biegun’s counterpart last month when he visited the White House with Kim Yong Chol.

Kim and Biegun have engaged in marathon negotiations and are expected to wrangle over the agenda of the summit — likely to include the terms of “denuclearisation” — until the actual day of the summit.

    – The Butler –

Kim Chang Son is the de facto chief of staff to the North Korean leader, overseeing the security and protocol of key events attended by Kim Jong Un.

Both the North Korean leader and his sister are reportedly very fond of Kim, who has served as the “trusted butler” to the Kim family under Kim Jong Il — the late father and predecessor to Kim Jong Un.

Kim Chang Son arrived in Hanoi nearly two weeks ahead of the February 27-28 meeting, closely touring and inspecting prospective sites for the summit and the accommodation of the North Korean leadership.

 – The Bodyguards –

Around 100 North Korean bodyguards flew in from Pyongyang on Sunday as their leader was passing through China towards Hanoi, according to Vietnamese press.

The army of security officials remained at arms’ length from Kim at his landmark meeting with Trump — from the talks venues to when he roamed the streets of Singapore in a surprise night out on the eve of the summit.

The men — dressed in matching sharp black suits — earned the nickname of “human shield” at Kim’s first summit with the South’s President Moon Jae-in, when a dozen of them trotted along next to his Mercedes-Benz.

Trong, who is also head of Vietnam’s Communist Party, flew to Cambodia from Laos, where he spent the weekend for the same purpose.

Hanoi regards its relations with Laos and Cambodia as special, given that they together formed French Indochina and had to fight for their independence from France.

At the Royal Palace in Phnom Penh, Trong was expected to be granted an audience with King Norodom Sihamoni and Queen Mother Norodom Monineath.

He will also meet Cambodian Senate President Say Chhum, National Assembly President Heng Samrin and Prime Minister Hun Sen and witness the signing of several documents aimed at fostering cooperation between the neighbouring countries.

While Cambodia has pursued closer ties with China in recent years, Vietnam has become one of Cambodia’s leading economic partners, with the value of bilateral trade reaching nearly US$3.8 billion in 2017, up more than 25 per cent year-on-year.

The two countries want to raise the figure to $5 billion in coming years, according to a Vietnamese official.

Trong’s visits to Laos and Cambodia come only days before Hanoi hosts another much-anticipated summit between United States President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un on Wednesday and Thursday.

That meeting in Hanoi is being regarded by diplomats as a new highlight in Vietnam’s international profile.

Emulating his late father and grandfather, who took epic train trips when they were leaders, Kim set off on the long journey from Pyongyang railway station on Saturday, with a military honour guard seeing him off.

His departure was confirmed by the North’s official KCNA news agency, with images showing citizens cheering him as he waved from the train before what could be a 60-hour journey to Vietnam.

The train crossed the border city of Dandong later that day, according to South Korea’s Yonhap news agency and the specialist outlet NK News, but its route remained a tightly-held secret.

The train’s crossing into China follows days of speculation over Kim’s travel plans, as his team gathered in Hanoi ahead of the talks expected next Wednesday and Thursday.

Accompanying the North Korean leader was right-hand man and top general Kim Yong Chol, who met Trump at the White House last month, his sister and close aide Kim Yo Jong, and other high-ranking officials, KCNA said.

Ahead of his own departure for Hanoi, Trump said Sunday North Korea could become one of the world’s “great economic powers” if it relinquished its nuclear arsenal.

“Chairman Kim realizes, perhaps better than anyone else, that without nuclear weapons, his country could fast become one of the great economic powers anywhere in the world,” he wrote on Twitter.

Security was tight before Kim’s train arrived in Dandong, with police cordoning off the border bridge with tape and metal barriers, and leading an AFP journalist out of the area.

A hotel facing the bridge was closed for impromptu renovations on Saturday.

“The train is long and crossed the bridge slower than the tourist train, but it’s definitely him, there’s a lot of police presence,” an unidentified source told NK News.

Kim has met Chinese President Xi Jinping four times in the past year, briefing his country’s sole major ally before and after his historic summits with Trump and South Korean President Moon Jae-in.

Kim, who last met Xi in January, could be saving their next meeting for his return trip to debrief the Chinese leader.

Trump and Kim met in June in Singapore, producing a vaguely worded agreement on denuclearisation, but progress has since stalled, with the two sides disagreeing over what the agreement meant.

Observers say tangible progress is needed in Hanoi to avoid the talks being dismissed as a publicity stunt.

Several sources said Kim was expected to arrive in Vietnam by train, stopping at the Dong Dang station near the China border, then driving to Hanoi.

Kim has met Chinese President Xi Jinping four times in the past year, briefing his country’s sole major ally before and after his historic summits with Trump and South Korean President Moon Jae-in.

Kim, who last met Xi in January, could be saving their next meeting for his return trip to debrief the Chinese leader.

Trump and Kim met in June in Singapore, producing a vaguely worded agreement on denuclearisation, but progress has since stalled, with the two sides disagreeing over what the agreement meant.

Observers say tangible progress is needed in Hanoi to avoid the talks being dismissed as a publicity stunt.

Several sources said Kim was expected to arrive in Vietnam by train, stopping at the Dong Dang station near the China border, then driving to Hanoi.

Windows on the train were blacked out, the source said, with only headlights turned on as it crossed.

– Skipping Beijing –

The train usually takes 13 hours to reach Beijing, but there were no signs of heightened security around the railway station on Sunday, indicating the train likely bypassed the Chinese capital on the nearly 4,000-kilometre (2,500-mile) journey to Vietnam.

Soldiers were deployed to Dong Dang station and along the road to the capital, according to AFP reporters at the scene.

Vietnam previously announced the unprecedented move of closing that 170-kilometre stretch of road on Tuesday between 6:00 am and 2:00 pm — suggesting Kim could travel along it between those hours.

An AFP reporter on Sunday saw Vietnamese military personnel sweeping for mines along the road.

“Vietnam wants to contribute its part to world peace… at this upcoming summit. Vietnam will ensure maximum security and safety to all the distinguished guests to Vietnam,” Vietnamese Prime Minister Xuan Phuc told reporters on Sunday.

As Kim travelled, delegations prepared for the summit, with Pyongyang’s special representative for the US, Kim Hyok Chol, appearing at a Hanoi hotel on Sunday afternoon for talks with his US counterpart Stephen Biegun, Yonhap reported.

A North Korean cargo plane landed in Hanoi earlier Sunday, carrying members of the Pyongyang delegation, photographs in the Vietnamese press showed.

– Grandfather’s footsteps –

Rail travel is a family tradition that was started by Kim’s grandfather, the North’s founder Kim Il Sung, who travelled to Eastern Europe for his longest train ride in 1984.

His late father, Kim Jong Il, travelled all the way to Moscow by train in 2001.

“It sends a strong message to North Koreans that Kim Jong Un has inherited his grandfather’s good qualities, and the Kim Dynasty is stronger than ever,” said Koh Yu-hwan, professor at Seoul’s Dongguk University.

Jeong Young-tae of the Institute of North Korean Studies in Seoul said the safest way to travel would be to take a plane provided by Beijing, as Kim did for the Singapore summit.

“But by choosing to travel by their own special train over a Chinese aircraft, Pyongyang may be signalling its willingness to be independent,” Jeong said.

The journey from China’s frozen northern border to subtropical Vietnam presents a logistical headache and complex security challenges.

Zhao Jian, who studies China’s railway system at Beijing Jiaotong University, said one route would take Kim straight down to southern China, before heading west into Guangxi province, which borders Vietnam.

Justin Hastings, associate professor in international relations at the University of Sydney, said that would be “a pretty major operation”.

“They would have to clear the tracks, they would have to provide security for basically the entire length of the Chinese eastern seaboard,” he told AFP.

But China may view the hassle as a necessary cost to get Kim to the summit.

“China wants North Korea to make some steps to denuclearise as much as anyone else,” Hastings said.

Conducted by the Syarif Hidayatullah Islamic State University (UIN Syarif Hidayatullah) in cooperation with the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) in late 2017, the study found that 88.55 percent of 1,859 respondents believed the government should ban religious minority groups altogether.

In addition, 49 percent of respondents — comprising students from hundreds of schools and universities across the country — disagreed with the government’s protection of Islamic minority groups like the Ahmadiyah and Shia.

Nearly 85 percent has access to the internet.

The study’s lead researcher, Jamhari Makruf of UIN Syarif Hidayatullah, explained that there was one positive correlation between internet use among young Muslims and the way they perceive religious diversity.

“We found that religious websites are dominated by exclusive and intolerant views,” Jamhari said on Wednesday.

The study further revealed that preachers popular among Muslim youths included those who often conveyed radical narratives, like controversial Indian ulema Zakir Naik and Indonesian preacher Khalid Basalamah. Meanwhile, Muslim figures who promote tolerant and moderate views, including Quraish Syihab, Ahmad Syafii Maarif, Mustafa Bisri and Haedar Nasir, did not interest them.

Jamhari called on large Islamic organizations such as Nahdlatul Ulama (NU) and Muhammadiyah to promote moderate values and create more youth-friendly religious content on social media platforms like YouTube and Instagram to counter more extreme narratives.

“The youths want to access religious knowledge as easily as they access information about food; we have to accommodate them,” he emphasized.

Another researcher from UIN Syarif Hidayatullah, Irfan Abubakar, revealed on a separate occasion that learning from the internet was not enough for young Muslims to gain a thorough understanding of Islam.

UIN Syarif Hidayatullah’s Center for the Study of Religion and Culture (CSRC), led by Irfan, revealed that more young Muslims who are digital-savvy are abandoning mosques as they preferred to study religion via social media.

Low religious literacy, as the result of learning religion only from the internet, can lead to absolutism, which refers to an attitude of regarding one’s own beliefs as the absolute truth.

“Absolutism is a threat to the country’s pluralistic society,” he said.

Therefore, he urged the younger generation of Muslims to learn Islam through legitimate forums, such as pengajian (Quran reading).

Muhammadiyah leader Haedar Nashir separately conceded that ignorance among large Islamic Organizations had contributed to the rising radicalism and intolerance in the country.

He added that Indonesia’s second-largest Islamic organization was committed to preparing its members to be “social-media preachers” and spread al-wasatiyyah (religious tolerance) and Islamic moderation as counter-narratives to extremism.

“Muhammadiyah has a strong network in society, including among the younger generations. We will turn [al-wasatiyyah] into a massive movement,” Haedar said.