SIMUNJAN: The people of Kampung Gawang in a small district of Simunjan were panicky due to the two ‘surprise visits’ in a month by a saltwater crocodile.
A resident, Andy Bara said the second visit by the saltwater crocodile happened two days ago after a resident detected the presence of the reptile in bushes near the river nearby their village.
“One of the residents, Metting was on the way home from a farm when the resident came in contact with a saltwater crocodile in the bushes near the river in the evening.
“The encounter with the saltwater crocodile startled her resulting in her to run home to inform the son-in-law about the encounter,” Andy said.
The discovery of the saltwater crocodile somehow spread to the other villagers who then followed the other two residents to have a closer look at the said crocodile.
The result of the closer observation by the people of Kampung Gawang at the location found out that the saltwater crocodile was estimated to be about 12-foot long and weighed estimatedly nearly 100 kilogrammes.
However, the residents just scared the reptile so that it would return to the river and did not want to capture it for some reasons.
“We believe that the crocodile is the incarnation of Tua’ Mawat who was one of the descendants of the Iban ancestors who inhabit the area of Kampung Gawang, Mawang and Empili.
“According to our beliefs, we are convinced that Tua Mawat will continue to look after the welfare of the Iban villagers in Kampung Gawang provided that it is not disturbed,” he added.
Earlier, on June 4, the Iban villagers of Kampung Gawang, Simunjan were also shocked by a 10-foot long saltwater crocodile that appeared at a river bank in the same village.
The Iban villagers in the village held a ritual to ask forgiveness from the reptile involved which was then found gone from the area the next day.
