KOTA KINABALU: It was a scene straight out of a nightmare – a Sandakan fisherman fought off a crocodile with his bare hands in a desperate act of survival.
Addrin Sani was casting his fishing net alongside his younger brother off the waters of Kampung Upak, Pulau Timbang, on Monday when the crocodile struck.
It lunged and dragged Addrin underwater, locking its jaws onto his shoulder.
He was spun violently in what is known as the crocodile’s signature killing move – the death roll.
Despite the pain searing through his body, Addrin summoned every ounce of strength he had and began pummeling the reptile’s head and jabbing at its nose.
Miraculously, the crocodile hesitated, loosened its grip and then swam away.
Addrin’s brother then managed to pull him out of the water and took him to Sandakan Hospital.
Addrin sustained multiple wounds on his shoulder and left arm.
His near-death ordeal was widely shared on local Sandakan social sites, prompting the Social Security Organisation (PERKESO) to investigate if he was a contributor.
Sandakan Socso Synergy executive officer Noranisah Issah confirmed that Addrin was listed under the fishermen category, making him eligible for compensation for his injuries and medical treatment.
On Tuesday, PERKESO officials from Sandakan visited Addrin at the hospital to gather more details to file the claim.
According to Noranisah, PERKESO has teams assigned to monitor accidents and incidents, allowing them to gather the victim’s information before verifying their identities and determining whether they are PERKESO contributors.
Among the benefits of becoming a contributor, she said, are assistance for medical expenses, temporary and permanent disability support, a dependent fund, caregiver allowance, funeral and burial assistance, physical and vocational rehabilitation, and education contributions.
Those eligible to register and contribute to PERKESO include employees, self-employed individuals, domestic workers, foreign workers and homemakers.
More information on PERKESO claims, contributions and registration can be found at https://www.perkeso.gov.my/.
