17/09/2025

WEDNESDAY | SEPT 17, 2025

5

Sabah death toll climbs to 13

Public told to avoid river after crocodile sighting MALACCA: The public has been advised to stay away from the river area in Kampung Paya Luboh, Tangga Batu after a crocodile was spotted on Monday afternoon. Tangga Batu Fire and Rescue Station operations commander Senior Fire Officer II Zuraidi Omar said his team received a call at 11.47am from a resident who saw the reptile on the riverbank. “Eight personnel were dispatched and arrived at the scene at about 11.50am, where we found the crocodile on the riverbank near the village road. “At present, there is no direct threat to residents, but we advise the public to avoid the area for their safety,” he said in a statement. Zuraidi added that the high riverbank made it difficult to capture the animal, so monitoring was carried out until the situation was confirmed to be under control. He said the case has been referred to the state Wildlife and National Parks Department for further action as it involves a wild animal. The operation ended at 12.40pm, with the team returning to the station after ensuring the area was safe. – Bernama Elderly man dies after crashing car into stall MALACCA: An elderly man died after crashing the car he was driving into a stall on Jalan Malim Jaya near a petrol station yesterday. Central Malacca District police chief ACP Christopher Patit identified the victim in the 6am incident as Chan Soa’a, 74. He was confirmed dead at the scene. He said Chan was driving towards the Plaza Pandan Malim traffic lights from the Malim roundabout when the crash occurred. He was believed to have lost control of the wheel, causing the vehicle to veer and enter the opposite lane before hitting a roadside stall, Christopher said in a statement yesterday. The victim’s body was sent to the Malacca Hospital Forensic Department for a post-mortem and the case is being investigated under Section 41(1) of the Road Transport Act 1987. – Bernama Body of baby found on riverbank IPOH: The body of a baby was found on the riverbank of Sungai Air Kala in Selat Pagar near Gerik on Monday. District police chief Supt Abdul Samad Othman said police received information from the public about the discovery at 2.15pm. He said the gender and ethnicity of the baby have not yet been determined. “The baby’s body has been taken to the Forensic Unit of the Raja Permaisuri Bainun Hospital in Ipoh for a post-mortem.” He added that investigations were ongoing. – Bernama

o Casualties from landslides, floods reported across multiple towns

The crisis has stretched beyond the state. Floodwaters have forced hundreds into shelters in Perak, Selangor and Negeri Sembilan. In Muallim, Perak, 397 victims from 91 families are in five centres as the water level in Sungai Slim exceeded the danger mark. In Selangor, 146 people from 44 families are in shelters in Hulu Langat and Hulu Selangor, while in Port Dickson, Negeri Sembilan, 74 evacuees from 20 families are housed at Sekolah Kebangsaan Jimah Lama. The Meteorological Department has warned of more storms and heavy rain in several Perak districts, including Larut, Matang and Selama, Kinta, Hulu Perak, Kuala Kangsar and Batang Padang, raising fears that the death toll could continue to climb. Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim has approved an immediate RM10 million allocation through the National Disaster Management Agency for relief and recovery. Sabah has also cancelled its Malaysia Day celebrations, saying focus must remain on saving lives and supporting those left behind.

survivors forced to watch as loved ones were buried alive. Both victims were eventually pulled out but could not be saved. Kampung Cenderakasih in Kota Kinabalu was hit even harder. Eleven people were trapped when a house collapsed at 9.15am. Seven did not make it out, including four children aged two to nine. “I thought I heard my aunt calling my name, but I could not be sure. The rain was pouring hard and the voice was muffled,” said Muhamad Azri Mikri, 25, as he recalled the haunting moment. Elsewhere in Kepayan, Molly Antutu, 42, described how she and her 14-year-old daughter survived by clinging to each other as their home gave way. “In that moment of chaos, I could only think of death. I told my daughter, ‘Let us die together, holding each other,’” she said. Both were injured but managed to escape. The Sabah Disaster Management Committee announced RM10,000 in aid for the next of kin of each victim, while evacuees would receive RM1,000 per household.

after their home collapsed under the weight of the sliding earth at 9.20am on Monday. “All victims were extricated by the fire and rescue team with assistance from other units. Their bodies were handed to the police for further action,” Mohd Pisar said. The Papar tragedy is among the worst, but far from the only one. In Kampung Mook, Kinarut, 36-year-old Edna Johnny is living with survivor’s guilt. Her sister and 11-year-old nephew died when their wooden home was swallowed by a landslide. “My sister’s house was the worst hit. I thought I heard her voice calling, but by the time we got outside, there was nothing we could do.” Edna and her husband jumped out of a window with their two young children when a deafening crash “like a giant tree smashing a zinc roof” shook the ground. Her brother-in-law’s cries for help, caught on video as he tried to dig through the mud with an excavator, have been widely circulated online, providing a glimpse into the agony faced by

Ű BY THE SUN TEAM newsdesk@thesundaily.com

PETALING JAYA: The body of a 10-year-old girl recovered on Monday night pushed the death toll in Sabah to 13 in a series of landslides and floods that has torn families part. Her remains were found at 8.45pm in Kampung Marahang Tuntul, Papar, after more than 10 hours of digging through mud and timber. Sabah Fire and Rescue Department director Mohd Pisar Aziz said the operation ended at 2.05am yesterday. Hours earlier, rescuers unearthed the girl’s 34-year-old mother, buried in the soil, still clutching her six-year-old son in her arms. Both were confirmed dead minutes apart,

Rescue personnel searching for individuals trapped beneath the rubble of a collapsed house at Kampung Cenderakasih in Kota Kinabalu. – PIC COURTESY OF SABAH FIRE AND RESCUE DEPARTMENT

Woman loses over RM5m to online investment scam IPOH: A woman suffered losses of over RM5 million after being duped in an online investment scam. He also said the modus operandi of the syndicate was to convince victims by displaying initial profits in the system to gain their trust. investment advertisement along with a link to join the scheme.

the Penal Code for cheating. Noor Hisam advised the public to be cautious of investment offers on social media that promise high returns in a short time, and to avoid disclosing personal information to unknown parties as it could be misused by criminals. In a separate case in Kuala Terengganu, a lecturer at a university in Kuala Nerus lost RM244,925.61 after being scammed by a non-existent investment syndicate. Kuala Terengganu police chief ACP Azli Mohd Noor said the lecturer, a 56-year-old woman, claimed that on Aug 14, she received a WhatsApp message from an unknown individual regarding an

He said the woman claimed to have accidentally pressed the link and was given three investment options starting from a scheme as low as RM300. “She invested RM300 and was promised a profit of RM14,000. However, to withdraw the profit, she was required to make several payments by transferring money to several accounts.” Azli said she lodged a police report yesterday after realising that she had been scammed when no profit payments were made to her, and the case is being investigated under Section 420 of the Penal Code. – Bernama

Perak police chief Datuk Noor Hisam Nordin said the victim, a professional in her 60s, was deceived through a fraudulent cryptocurrency investment platform known as “ElfTV”. He said the victim was introduced to the platform through Facebook and an online investment group called “AB4 Trend Navigation”. “Initial investigations found the first transaction was made in July 2025 for RM10,000, while the last transaction was in August 2025. The total recorded loss amounted to RM5,030,970,” he said in a statement on Monday.

He added that the victim was later instructed to transfer funds into several local bank accounts controlled by the syndicate, but when she attempted to withdraw her capital and profits, the transaction failed and access to the platform was blocked. “The victim eventually checked with the Securities Commission Malaysia, which confirmed the investment platform was unregistered and listed as an illegal investment entity,” he said, adding that the case is being investigated under Section 420 of