Populasi buaya perlu ditangani

Kerajaan mahu konvensyen antarabangsa dipinda; satu lagi serangan buaya di Pending KUCHING: Kerajaan negeri sedang merangka satu kertas kerja untuk dibentang di peringkat antarabangsa agar Apendiks 1 Konvensyen Antarabangsa Pertubuhan Bangsa-Bangsa Bersatu (PBB) diturunkan kepada Apendiks 2 yang membolehkan buaya ditangkap, dibunuh dan didagangkan kulitnya. Timbalan Speaker Dewan Rakyat Datuk Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar berkata, usaha tersebut memang tepat pada masanya memandangkan populasi buaya di negeri ini termasuk di Parlimen Santubong semakin meningkat berbanding tahun 1980-an dan 1990-an, tatkala satu lagi kejadian buaya menyerang manusia dilaporkan berlaku di tepi sungai di Pending, pagi semalam. Menurutnya, sejak akhir-akhir ini populasi buaya di negeri ini meningkat daripada tiga kepada enam ekor bagi setiap kilometer dan perkara itu amat membimbangkan penduduk yang tinggal di kawasan tepi sungai atau berhampiran laut. “Saya dimaklumkan bahawa sekarang kerajaan negeri sedang berusaha membuat satu kertas kerja supaya isu ini (peningkatan populasi buaya) dibentangkan ke peringkat antarabangsa agar undang-undang terhadap buaya di negeri ini dapat diturunkan kepada Apendiks 2 berbanding Apendiks 1 sekarang,” katanya kepada pemberita di sini semalam. Beliau berkata, sebagai spesies terkawal, tidak banyak tindakan yang boleh dilakukan masyarakat walaupun kawasan mereka kerap diserang buaya. “Kita terkilan kerana terikat dengan konvensyen antarabangsa. Kita hanya boleh ambil tindakan apabila spesies ini menyerang orang. “Namun, adakah buaya yang kita tangkap merupakan penyerang ataupun kita menangkap buaya yang tidak bersalah?” ujarnya. Menurutnya lagi, sebelum ini Malaysia dengan persetujuan beberapa negara Asia Tenggara memang sudah membentangkan kertas kerja agar undang-undang terhadap buaya diubah, namun dibantah oleh Australia. “Mereka (Australia) kata kita kena kawal dahulu. Ia sekali gus menyusahkan kita kerana negara ini amat memerlukan pindaan terhadap undang-undang ini kerana mempunyai kawasan-kawasan tepi sungai atau laut,” jelasnya. Mengulas mengenai insiden serangan buaya di Pasir Panjang pada Rabu lepas, beliau melahirkan rasa terkilan apabila mengetahui serangan buaya terhadap seorang remaja di tepian laut di kawasannya. “Lokasi kejadian merupakan tempat pelancong dan sepatutnya dipromosi. Saya kecewa kerana ada buaya di sini. “Memang ada tanda amaran di sini, namun sekarang mungkin dibuang pihak tidak bertanggungjawab,” kata Wan Junaidi. Beliau mencadangkan agar Kementerian Pelancongan dapat membina hadangan bagi mengelak buaya kembali menyerang orang ramai di kawasan tepian laut. Dalam kejadian terbaharu pagi semalam, gara-gara terdesak mahu membuang air besar, seorang lelaki tercedera di punggungnya selepas digigit seekor buaya di pinggir sungai di Pending. Mangsa, 32, seorang warganegara Indonesia sebelum insiden tersebut dikatakan sedang bekerja sebelum bergegas ke sungai tersebut kerana mengalami sakit perut sekitar jam 9.15 pagi. Menurutnya, tandas terletak agak jauh dari tempatnya bekerja menyebabkan dia membuat keputusan untuk membuang air besar di tepi sungai tersebut. Bagaimanapun, menurutnya, ketika baharu membuka seluar dan mencangkung di sungai tersebut, dia tiba-tiba digigit di bahagian punggung dan berasa seperti ditarik masuk ke dalam sungai tersebut. Borneopost 25.08.2012

Worker injured by croc while answering nature’s call

Borneo Post 25/8/2012 24.08.2012 KUCHING: A foreign construction worker was bitten in the buttocks, waist and back when attacked by a crocodile while squatting by a riverbank to answer nature’s call yesterday. The 32-year-old Indonesian national, identified only as Pai, said the incident happened at his worksite in Pending around 9.15am when he went to the edge of a river to defecate after experiencing stomach pains. According to him, there was a proper toilet located across the river in Sejingkat, but that he was worried he could not make it there in time and headed instead to the riverbank. Pai had only just dropped his pants and squatted down when a crocodile measuring about five feet in length lunged from the water and bit his buttocks. The reptile then snapped at his waist and back, prompting the shocked construction worker to fight back by repeatedly punching the reptile’s head until it released its grip on him and vanished back into the river. Pai then made his way back to his worksite and informed his co-workers, who rushed him to Sarawak General Hospital where he was admitted for treatment. Several workers later said all of them were aware of the presence of crocodiles in the area and had always taken extra precaution when going to the river.

Driverless car wreaks havoc, strikes fear among onlookers

SIBU: A car with no driver sped up and down Island Road on Friday at nightfall here sending chills down the spines of a huge crowd who witnessed this paranormal happening.
The hair-raising incident occurred at 7.15pm after the driver got out of the car to go to the night market, leaving a woman in the front passenger seat and the car engine on.
According to an eye-witness the car suddenly reversed at high speed, screeching, before ramming into a steel railing.
It then continued reversing before ramming into the front portion of another car.
The impact caused the other car to also reverse before ramming into another car behind it.
The driverless car then surged forward before reversing another time to slightly brush the side of a car behind it.
It reversed further after that and rammed into another car.
The car then made a 360 degree turn before surging forward again.
It then made another reverse and surge forward before ramming into the metal gate of a shop. Only then did it come to a halt.
The woman passenger was badly shaken but luckily sustained only minor cuts and bruises on her face, head, knee and arms in the incident.
As it was only a week from the 15^th day of the seventh month of the Chinese lunar year – the day the Chinese believe the gates of hell would be opened for ghost and demons to roam the earth, many speculated that perhaps some might have snuck out before the stipulated time.
One of the witnesses said it was extremely eerie as it happened in the month of hungry ghost overlooking the fact that such an incident would be frightening anytime of the year.
He likened it to a scene in a horror movie, saying it was like watching “Nightmare on Elm Street”.
“How can a car travel at high speed up and down the road with no driver inside?” he asked with a quaver in his voice.
However, another eye-witness offered a more mundane explanation saying it could be due to a mechanical fault.
When the reporters arrived at the scene, the driver requested the reporters not to take any photos, but, this was stopped by policemen at the scene.
A policeman said this related to public interest and the reporters had the right to take photographs and report the incident.
Rescuers from the Fire and Rescue Department arrived with the policemen.
The rescuers took the frightened woman out and an ambulance sent her to the hospital where she was given outpatient treatment.

Borneopost 26.8.2012