Kampong Kuala Keruah (Sandakan), Sunday 9 October 2011,
A supposedly leisure fishing trip for 2 fishing buddies from the Longkang Gang , Penang turned into a rescue mission that resulted in the rescue of 2 Filipinos men from being a sure food for the crocs of the crocs infested Sungai Aiang, 7 hours boat ride from the port of Sandakan, Sabah. The two long time buddies were trolling for the famous black bass that can only be found in this part of Malaysia, in the croc habitat of Sg Air (Aiang in local dialect), which was unknown to them that it was the favorite Sungai for the crocs around the estuary to habitat and breed there, when they heard an incoherent cry in a language that was not familiar to them.
With the assistance of their ever quiet boatman they decided to turn to the direction of the cry. Upon reaching the area by the bank of the river which was about 30 m wide, they saw a man with tattered t-shirt standing in knee deep water among the mangrove nipah and bakau plants talking n shouting trying to capture their attention. It was difficult because the language spoken was neither, English, Malay nor the local dialect. Upon checking with their boatman, he too could not understand the language. So they decided to stay clear of him, he might be a “crazy” or worst a pirate (the real one) with accomplices waiting among the bakaus for unsuspecting people like them. The buddies decided to carry on trolling for the prize black bass. Putting back their rods with 15 cm trolling lures to run under 5 m on 30-40 lb braided line with equally matching leaders.
It was after sometime with numerous kerapus, GTs, barracudas and MJs landed and released that something strikes their conscience: Could the man be sick, is he really in trouble. The big question is “what on earth is he doing there, kilometers away from civilization and how did he get there in the first place” So the happy anglers and their equally happy boat driver decided to be brave to carry a bit of further information gathering. The wooden plywood boat with a 15 hp Yamaha engine that has carried them for the past 2 days of fishing was turned around and with caution approached the last position known where the man was last seen. Sure enough he was still there but to their uttered amazement there was another guy, tattered and thinner. They approached with total caution; boat driver was advice to react quickly in case situation turns ugly.
One of them started talking again in the same lingo but this time the pirate and the tiger could understand the word “help” and “polis”. Tiger having experience with Filipinos before now could understand the lingo spoken to be tagalog. And the word “polis” and “help” helped the LKGers decide that these two needed help. Further communication was established thru a mixed lingo and gestures. Yes they need help, they were wet and cold and also hungry. So the two happy anglers threw a bottle of drinking water and a tin of biscuits, a good thing of this trip organizers was that all boat were supplied with at least a tin of biscuits and 2 bottles of drinking water every time out fishing, to them. The strandees wanted the anglers to take them onto their boat but pirate and tiger decided not to have them on board but instead will report this matter to the polis. We had to be careful as these waters were notorious and we did not want to be ‘keel-hauled’ or ‘walking the plank’ .
Something has to be done to see that these two Filipino men will get help. Telling them to wait, the 2 anglers from Penang decided, well they will lose precious fishing time but then maybe 2 lives could be saved. So the 2 anglers, with a hefty heave ho… Turned their boat around to report the matter to the polis a 45 minutes boat ride away…
On the way to the polis post at Kampong Kuala Sungai Keruah disaster struck. Suddenly the 15hp Yamaha that was so reliable for the past 2 days hiccup..Hic..Hic.. The ever quiet boat driver just grins, and said ‘overflow’. Sure enough with a little twist here and a little twist there…the engine started coughing and moved at a 1/4 of its normal speed and then gained momentum, so off they went the soon to be heroes. Then again right in the middle of the huge estuary with the water a little choppy the Yamaha cough and cough again and completely stop, the boat driver just grin, a twiddle here a twidledum there, no way the Yamaha went to sleep. Out came the spanners and spare spark plug, the driver went to work silently while the 2 anglers waited but not quietly, Lanun went “the bush, the bush” to the driver, while tiger was wondering what? “A bush right in the middle of this choppy sea…”
Anyway, the sparkplug was changed, just a slight pull of the starter line the engine went purring…so there they went again to continue the journey towards the polis post. 2 lives at stake here, the sooner to reach the polis the better.
Pos Polis Kg Kuala Sungai Keruah, Lannun buat Laporan…
The polis under the command of Sarjant Kadir was quick to respond, less than 5 minutes we were on the polis launch, lanun, tiger, the boat driver with the polis pilot on the wheel and a support constable was flying across the water to Sungai Aiang…whheee what speed that polis boat has..With twin engines each gives 200 hp..Imagine just under 10 minutes they reached the stranded Filipinos. The polis were cautious too, with an M16 and a Styr machine gun pointing at them the strandees were questioned, after the polis were satisfied that they posed no threat whatsoever were they then allowed to board the polis boat…
Background: the 2 stranded Filipinos
Back at the polis post an interpreter was sought, the Ketua Kampong was informed…ahem ahem somebody other than tiger was eyeing the Tok Ketua 2 daughters…hehehe cantik cantik. A person by the name of Ramli who can speak the lingo was soon listening and telling us that the 2 strandees were in fact workers from a palm oil estate. They got lost while chasing wild pigs. They were just 2 weeks in Sabah working under a contractor. While 9 days before they were working in a team of 4 when they saw a herd of wild pigs, being moneyless and hungry they gave chase, while two of them after some distance gave up the chase, the 2 strandees kept on the chase following the wild pigs until they got lost. According to them, it was like something kept on urging them to follow the pigs… So they were lost for 9 days without food and water by a river that is full of crocodiles. A giant croc was sighted by the kampong folks with a width of more than a meter. (This according to the ketua kampong).
The 2 strandees at the Polis Post Being given attention, they were told to warm themselves in the sun after 9 days lost in the mangroves forest
After spending sometime with the polis, the 2 anglers bade farewell, not before lanun made a written report. The polis on the whole were very quick, professional and very humane in dealing with the situation. The strandees were immediately given food and water, even cigarettes. The polis superior were contacted to get further info on the 2 lost pig hunters whose names are, Rolly de Luna and Cristino Cuevas and also to wait for further instructions.\
Lannun Writing the report…
With grateful hugs from Rolly and Cristino and salam all around the two LKGers left…but not without sending a farewell smile with mustachios lips to the Tok Ketua 2 anak dara…heheheheh.
(I must praise the Polis PGA for their handling of the situation which I think deserve a 10/10 rating, under the circumstances of their OA
The 2 Strandees and tiger…with Lannun below…
Sarjant Kadir, very responsible and professional
The Ketua Kampong Whose Daughters somebody was eyeing…
The much awaited pics…heheheh
The Polis Launch…
(SOME OTHER PIC WILL BE LOADED FROM TIME TO TIME)
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Be Happy Go Fisshing
U1-Team Spinboyz,2004(runners-up)
U3-Team Roque,2005
U4-Team Longkang,2006 (Runners-up)
U6-Team LKGTiger,2008(Runners-up)
