DAILY EXPRESS (Sabah, Malaysia) 08 September 06 Bomoh's help sought to locate crocodile
Kuching: Kampung Bako villagers have sought the help of a bomoh (medicine man) to locate a crocodile and the boy it is believed to have attacked at the mouth of the Sarawak River last Sunday.
Bomoh Cheek Inu of Gedong Wednesday set seven traps with monkeys and chicken as bait on the upper reaches of the river and visited the site of the attack.
"God willing, we'll get the crocodile in two days' time," he told reporters at the Kampung Bako jetty after setting the traps at 2pm.
Mohd Azuan Hatta, 12, was looking for crabs close to the river bank with his friend, Sulaiman Matsakini, 15, at 3.30pm when the crocodile lunged at him.
The search resumed Wednesday at 5.30am for Mohd Azuan, a Standard Six pupil of Sekolah Kebangsaan Bako.
About 150 people, comprising villagers, Rela members, police, and Fire and Rescue Department, Sarawak Marine Department and Sarawak Forestry personnel, scoured the lower reaches of the river.
Head of Gita Police Station Sub-Inspector Samsudin Hassan said Kampung Bako Penghulu Suhaili Othman had advised the search team to steer clear of the upper reaches of the river where the traps had been set.
He said the search would be confined to the lower reaches of the river to prevent the sound of boat engines from driving the reptile away from the traps.
The people could wait at the jetty and would be summoned when their help was needed, he said. -
http://www.dailyexpress.com.my/news.cfm?NewsID=44263
NEW STRAITS TIMES (Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia) 07 September 06 ‘Bomoh buaya’ brings hope (Firdaus Abdullah)
Kuching: Cheek Inu is not an ordinary man.
The frail 70-year-old is a reputed crocodile hunter who has the uncanny ability to "communicate" with the reptiles and make them follow his orders. His prowess is not a myth as he has proven his ability in various past incidents in the State.
In one of the famous incidents six years ago, Cheek and his disciples made headlines throughout the region when they coaxed a killer crocodile to surrender after the beast had attacked and killed a 10- year-old Iban girl in Gedong.
The Feb 7, 2000 incident was reported in the New Straits Times on Feb 8 and was subsequently picked up by foreign news agencies, including the British Broadcasting Corporation.
The report stated that a 5.5-metre crocodile "surrendered" and died suddenly at the same spot where the girl was killed on Jan 24, 2000.
The victim’s father, Wat Ujap, told reporters in Gedong that his daughter Ros Umba was with a group of girls catching shrimps along the banks of Batang Sadong when she was snatched by a crocodile, named Bujang Gedong by the locals.
Following this, the police and Forestry Department launched an operation to hunt the killer, but failed.
A team of four bomoh, led by Cheek then took over after they were asked to use traditional methods to hunt the crocodile.
The other bomoh were Sophian Narawi, 54, Sujai Yasin, 52, and Salleh Hadi, 40, all from Kampung Lubok Punggor in Simunjan district of the Kota Samarahan Division.
Wat told the NST then that he was at home about 6pm on Feb 7, 2000 when he was informed about the presence of a crocodile in the river in front of their longhouse.
He had also related how he witnessed the crocodile clambering up the riverbank where it turned over and died.
Wat said the "killer" surrendered after he was "directed" by the bomoh to do so.
The famous bomoh, who is the unofficial consultant for many VIPs in the State, was once again at the centre of action yesterday in Kampung Bako Ulu where a 12-year-old boy was snatched by a crocodile while swimming in Sungai Sarawak on Sunday.
Cheek arrived at the scene of the attack late Tuesday and has been "in communication" with the reptile but has requested more time to enable him to "persuade" the killer to surrender.
Hundreds of policemen, Fire and Rescue Department and Rela personnel had been combing the river for Azwan Hatta, with assistance from Sarawak Forestry wardens since Sunday evening, but to no avail.
The search and rescue operation entered its third day yesterday with no apparent clues. However, Cheek’s presence brought new hope to the operation.
Even the uniformed personnel were happy to see him at the Bako Ulu jetty this morning.
"Sarawakians know him as the No 1 bomoh buaya. He has done it before and we are relieved that he could make it here.
"You cannot simply discount his ability because he has proven himself before. We hope he can do it again," a senior policeman, who wished not to be identified, said.
Kampung Bako Ulu headman Saili Othman, 63, said that Cheek had made a few trips to the spot where the boy was snatched and subsequently "thrashed" on the muddy riverbank since last night and had requested others to keep away from the area.
"We have cordoned the area and have barred the villagers from going there. No one is permitted to enter the area so that Haji Cheek can do ‘his job’ without any disturbance.
"We hope that you guys (media) will be patient and not disturb him. He does not want to be interviewed yet," Saili told the reporters and TV crew who have camped at the jetty.
About 4pm, Cheek, who was travelling in a Fire and Rescue Department boat escorted by M-16-armed policemen, which berthed at the jetty for refuelling but declined to reveal much when queried by reporters.
"Be patient" were his only words.
Family members of the victim, Kampung Bako Ulu villagers and everybody who has been following the latest crocodile attack in the State are doing just that — patiently awaiting the fate of the boy who was supposed to have sat his UPSR examinations on Monday.
http://www.nst.com.my/Current_News/nst/Thursday/National/20060907090830/Article/local1_html
