Press Interview (Sin Chew & The Star)

Dear all,

Marlina Lasama and Donna Christine Simon will be interviewed by two National newspapers, Sin Chew Jit Poh and The Star. I hope they will be able to give a valuable interview, talk about their study and their hopes for the future.

Hamid.

On camping out in the bush

Guys, this is funny - I hope Bunga and Jan will not feel offended, but if you do, please remember that you are not alone. There are many-many people who are thinking that camping in the bush is an outing like what is shown on tv. TV lies a lot!

As Jan and Bunga (and some of you, in the future) will be camping out in the bush of Maliau Basin, I think there are somethings that we need understand.

Bunga suggested that we bring a stove and gas tank. Also, some charcoal. My answer is that we are not going to take them and we will make fire in the bush. Bunga shot back "what about if it rains?". She's right and so are you. 

This trip will be a trip like no other. It will be slow, wet and bad. Nothing resembling that of an outing at ODEC. We will walk and carry backpacks - only one backpack and we need to put everything that we need into that backpack. Don't bring two! Your front must be free from hanging bag - perhaps the only thing that can be out of the bag is a parang, to be hung from your waist. Both of your hands must be free all the time. Basically, we will take just enough clothing. A pair that will be always dry will be the one you will use for the nights. I will provide you with sleeping bags - I hope I can get those than be rolled into a very small ball. You will be sweating like you never did before. Therefore, you need energy and need to be fit. From now on, go jogging. Do it religuously, twice a day, morning and late afternoon. Start at the stadium for the first 5 days and try to complete 10 laps following the outermost lane. Slowly - we will never run in the bush. The idea is to tone your muscles. After that do it along the roads within the uni - I suggest you start from the stadium and follow the road uphill, turn right towards chancellory road till you get to the T junction and turn right to the IPMB road until you reach the end of the h-way - don go down to IPMB. Then jog back the same route. Please note that the first few days your feet will be aching - but carry on. You'll be alright, better be prepared than sorry.

Hamid.

Paitan's giant croc

There were 4 of us; Janet, Katherine, Dr Pushpa and I, Farid drove the white D-Max departing ITBC mid morning on Monday Aug 18th. This was the first trip to Paitan for Janet Hor - an honors candidate who braved to take on the crocs of Paitan. It sounded eerie - only it shouldn't. Kat studies the weaver-ants this year - the man-eating ants!  We have not made arrangements in Paitan for anything - boat, boatman, rental rates nothing. The only thing I was sure about was that we were going to stay overnight at Marudu Inn and NOT at Hotel California (also in Kota Marudu). We checked in and off we went to Kanibongan. Somehow this place sounded familiar and made me think that it has connections with Paitan. But it hasn't. Kanibongan does not connect to Paitan but sure it has crocodiles, right under the bridge at the Tamu. We were told "You want to work in Paitan, you go to Paitan, mate" - Fair Dinkum, we did.

First we went to Kg. Sulit, Paitan Kecil - mimang sulit mo pigi sana... I met two teenagers who were relaxing on a large boat eating sunflower seeds. They didn't know much about everything and said yes to most my questions. Not much help there. Farid drove back to Paitan bridge and immidiately we saw a couple of boats down the jetty. One, blue in color, two old ladies with bubu udang and the skipper, a long-haired fair-skinned man in his 30s. The older said that the boat would be busy, husband was ill (a very polite refusal).

+ Possible to hire your boat, Mr?

- Where to?

+ Just around here along this Paitan, looking for crocs.

- Bah... you don't fool around with this thing, ye know. They are no good, ye know. You brave, eh?

- We are from the uni in KK, these are my students, we are studying crocs...

+ UMS, eh? You people don't know nothing. These guys chase people, chase boats, chase torchlights.. ye know, before you can get away, they get you first...

- We are not going to catch them...(cut)

+ You want to go, you bring our people, ye know. My tribe, two of them...

- OK, we can do that, let's talk...

+ You haven't seen one down the river yet, 100 feet!

- Really?

+ You know nothing, ye know, you won't miss it... 100 feet!

- Sure! I won't miss a 100 feet croc. You take care there, mum, hope your husband gets well soon. Bye!

A hundred feet croc! No joke.

Let me tell you a little bit of Paitan croc's reputation. Since 2000, they launched 4 attacks. Fatal human attacks involved a headman of Kebulu and a schoolboy. Man's torso was found 15km downstream three days later. Boy was never found. A schoolgirl was grabbed before the eyes of her father who dive for the croc's head and jabbed its eyes. The girl was released and now in school. Still there bearing permanent scars. Another was a cattle, killed but not eaten. Croc was shot and fled into the water.

So, a 100 feet croc might not be too long a shot after all.

Amid.

hey!

hello,

Its been a long time since there's any news from all the wildlifers....
welcome to all the new members and good to hear from those old members!!
by the way, how's the LI experience gain by the other ex-3rd year students?
hope that all of you had an great experience just like ka han and me...
see you guys at the convocation!!