Sarawak Latest News

Pak Junoh

Fariza bin Gom holding Pak Junoh’s hat which was found by the rescue team.

Three colleagues watched in horror as a crocodile stealthily swam towards their foreman, grabbed him by the stomach, and dragged him into the placid water of Demak Laut river yesterday.

In the 11.00 am incident, Pak Junoh, a 43-year-old foreman of a sawmill nearby, was fishing with Fariza bin Gom, 31, from Samarahan, Jamadi bin Radat, 20, from Kuching and Sarizak, 18, from Sibuyau when he was attacked.

Relating the ordeal, Fariza, who was in the water with Junoh, said he was even further from the river bank than Junoh when the crocodile attacked.
“Both of us were casting our nets while Jamadi and Sarizak were waiting near the river bank to bring the catch in.

“After the crocodile grabbed Junoh it disappeared, and a moment later, it re-appeared with the latter’s leg flapping in the air. All of us immediately screamed for help,” said Fariza.
Police and 999 were alerted and they arrived promptly to conduct a search for the victim.
Fariza said that because of the economic downturn, his colleagues and he used to do some fishing at Demak Laut river to earn side income.

Junoh’s wife, Ramliebi, 42, who was picking “paku” (jungle fern) near the barrack where they are staying when the incident happened.

The couple have four children aged 21, 18, 13 and 5 years. Two of their children are staying in Pontianak and the other two are with the parents.

At press time, Junoh’s remains were still at large. The search and rescue party has thus far found a hat belonging to Junoh. Fariza said Junoh was wearing a white shirt, blue trousers and a pair of yellow boots at the time of the attack.