SAR mounted in Gua Musang for Orang Asli missing after tiger attack

GUA MUSANG: An Orang Asli from the Bateq tribe has gone missing after a tiger attack in the upper reaches of Sungai Aring near Kampung Aring 5 here on Tuesday (May 9).

Halim Asin, 27, was with his eight-year-old nephew Alang Kuang when the tiger pounced at about 11.30am.

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Alang’s father Kuang Camang, 31, said his son told him that the tiger attacked while they were fishing.

"My son, who was startled, jumped into the river and swam about 500m to our camp to tell us about the attack.

"We went to the scene but my brother-in-law was nowhere in sight,” he said here on Wednesday (May 10).

Prior to the attack, Kuang was with seven others, including the victim, on their way back from Kampung Cangkung in Jerantut, Pahang to Kampung Aring 5 on foot.

"Before Ramadan we went to Kampung Cangkung and stayed there for over a month. We left on Saturday (May 6) on the walk back to Kampung Aring 5," said Kuang, who was also travelling with his wife, three other children and Halim's father.

"At 11am on Tuesday, we set up camp on the edge of the river to spend the night because we wanted to catch fish,” he said.

When they stopped to rest at Sungai Aring, Halim and Alang went fishing.

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Kuang said although they were in fear of the man-eater after the attack, the group resumed the trek home at 1.30pm and arrived at 5.30pm, when they reported the incident to the headman.

Gua Musang district police chief Supt Sik Choon Foo confirmed receiving a report on the disappearance of the Bateq man at 10pm on Tuesday.

He said a search and rescue (SAR) operation by security personnel began on Wednesday. – Bernama