The Electric New Paper :
Search continues for missing boy, 12
'I can make killer croc surrender'
IT had been three days since the 12-year-old boy was snatched by a
crocodile while he was swimming at a river just 200m away from his
house in Kampung Bako Ulu, Sarawak.
09 September 2006
IT had been three days since the 12-year-old boy was snatched by a
crocodile while he was swimming at a river just 200m away from his
house in Kampung Bako Ulu, Sarawak.
Though hundreds of policemen, rescue personnel and volunteers alike
have been scouring the area since Sunday, they have yet to find any
trace of Mohd Azwam Hatta who was seen being dragged away by a
crocodile 'as big as a boat'.
But Tuesday night, their morale got a major a boost when a frail
70-year-old man came into the picture, reported The New Straits
Times.
'COMMUNICATES WITH CROCS'
Mr Cheek Inu, a renowned bomoh (medium) and crocodile hunter, is
now on the hunt.
He is reputed to have an uncanny ability to 'communicate' with the
reptiles and make them follow his orders, and has even made
headlines in the UK.
Mr Cheek arrived at the scene of the attack late on Tuesday and has
been 'in communication' with the reptile but has requested more
time to enable him to 'persuade' the killer to surrender.
'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.
He is currently travelling around in a Fire and Rescue Department
boat and is escorted by M16-armed policemen.
Kampung Bako Ulu headman Saili Othman, 63, said that Mr Cheek had
made a few trips to the spot where the boy was snatched 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,' Mr Saili told the
reporters and TV crew who have camped at the jetty.
In one of the famous incidents six years ago, Mr Cheek and his
disciples made headlines throughout the region when they coaxed a
killer 5.5m crocodile to 'surrender' after the beast had attacked
and killed a 10-year-old Iban girl in Gedong.
It later died on the spot the girl died.
The bomoh, who is the unofficial consultant for many VIPs in the
state has only said: 'Be patient.'
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 for his UPSR (PSLE equivalent)
examinations on Monday.
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