Finding herself safe after the chaotic situation brought on by the coup attempt in Turkey, a 21-year-old Malaysian student said she felt like she was given "a second life".
Najwa Syahirah Safian, who arrived at the KL International Airport here today, said she was grateful that she was unharmed but would never forget her "horrifying" experience.
Sharing her experience, the third-year Pharmacy student of the Cyberjaya University College of Medical Science said she was at Besiktas in Istanbul last Friday when a faction of the military staged the coup.
"I was sleeping alone in my hostel room when I was awakened by the sound of repeated gunfire. I looked out the window and was shocked to see helicopters hovering in the air. I felt something unusual was going on.
"I started to scream for help. Some of my Turkish friends calmed me down and we immediately ran to the hostel basement .... We hid there for almost seven hours, fearing for our lives.
"I thought I would die. I kept praying and reciting verses from the Quran, and hoping that everything would be back to normal," she said.
She had no idea what was happening until one of her friends told her that there was a coup attempt against the government.
Najwa said she was able to call her father and tell him about the chaotic situation and her whereabouts before all communications were cut.
The next day (Saturday morning), when the situation was calmer, the hostel authority advised her to move to Pazateke, where the other Malaysians were staying.
After a 40-minute ride by tram, Najwa and her Turkish friends reached Pazateke where she was contacted by her father and Wisma Putra personnel who arranged for her return home.
Najwa went to Istanbul on July 10 as a participant of the Malaysian Pharmacy Students Association Student Exchange Programme from July 11 to July 24.
The programme had to be discontinued because of the unsafe situation.
Her father, Safian Abd Rassid, 56, a lecturer at a teacher training college in Seremban, was a picture of relief and joy when he received her at the airport.
According to media reports, the Turkish government announced on Saturday that it had foiled a military coup attempt to topple President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
Wisma Putra said the 260 Malaysians, including 180 students, in Turkey were safe.
Bernama
Wed Jul 20 2016
Najwa Syahirah Safian said she was able to call her father and tell him about the chaotic situation and her whereabouts before all communications were cut. - fotoBERNAMA
Hospital UMS bakal beroperasi pada tahun 2026
Hospital Universiti Malaysia Sabah (HUMS) yang sedang dalam proses pembinaan bakal beroperasi pada bulan Januari 2026
LLB beri amaran jangan hampiri pantai, R&R Bagan Ajam
Berikutan kejadian yang berlaku pada tengah hari Selasa, pihak Lebuhraya Lingkaran Luar Butterworth (LLB) memberi amaran kepada orang ramai agar tidak menghampiri kawasan pantai di situ kerana cuaca yang sangat tidak baik dan keadaan ombak yang tinggi.
Hujan lebat: Rakyat Perlis dinasihatkan berwaspada - MB
Hujan lebat disusuli angin kencang melanda beberapa kawasan sekitar Perlis pada Selasa menyebabkan pokok tumbang, selain gangguan bekalan elektrik.
Jumlah mangsa banjir melebihi 2,000 orang, 11 PPS dibuka
Situasi banjir di Kedah makin memburuk selepas bilangan mangsa mencecah 2,180 orang mangsa daripada 385 keluarga yang ditempatkan di 11 pusat pemindahan sementara (PPS).
Ahli GISB dituduh di Mahkamah Putrajaya pada Rabu
Berdasarkan pemakluman kepada media, individu terbabit akan didakwa di bawah Seksyen 506 Kanun Keseksaan di Mahkamah Putrajaya pada Rabu.
Melaka dalam proses wartakan lima lagi ajaran sebagai sesat
Kerajaan Melaka dalam proses mewartakan lima lagi ajaran dan kegiatan baharu sebagai sesat.
PRK Mahkota: Syed Hussien enggan tabur janji bulan dan bintang, ingin kekal semangat kekeluargaan
Syed Hussien berazam ingin terus mengekalkan semangat kekeluargaan yang dinikmati penduduk di DUN Mahkota.
Meteorit Marikh ditemukan di Antartika dipamerkan di Ekspo Osaka 2025
Ditemukan pada 2000, meteorit itu telah tercampak ke angkasa lepas akibat kesan asteroid di permukaan Marikh.
Perang di Gaza perlu dihentikan, tiada pendudukan semula Israel - Kamala Harris
Calon Presiden AS gesa gencatan senjata serta penyelesaian dua negara dan kestabilan Asia Barat dengan cara yang tidak memperkasakan Iran.
Malaysia-Brazil bekerjasama rebut peluang pasaran halal bernilai AS$3 trilion - Timbalan Menteri
Transaksi pertanian antara kedua-dua negara telah berada dalam aliran menaik sehingga mencecah RM6.4 bilion pada 2023.