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.