KLUANG: Residents of Kampung Sri Lukut in Kahang are living in fear after a villager was killed by an elephant while tapping rubber yesterday morning.
Yussof Ibrahim, the headmen of the village home to some 1,800 people, said many are traumatised by the attack to the point they dare not go anywhere near the plantation area where the incident happened.
"We believe the elephants came to this area because trees are being felled in the nearby oil palm plantation where the herd of 20 to 30 elephants usually roam and feed on oil palm hearts."
"Now, the villagers who tap rubber or work on the plantation are afraid to go out to work," he said when contacted.
Yusoff said he was made to understand that the Wildlife and National Parks Department (Perhilitan) has already issued guidelines to plantation owners on measures to prevent elephants from trespassing.
This included having drains around the plantation and felling trees.
"We're not blaming anyone but the plantation owner should let us know that they were chopping down the trees so that we can take precautionary measures."
Asked if the attack could have stemmed from the villagers' efforts to drive them away, Yussof said they had no choice.
"We had to burn tyres and use firecrackers to scare the elephants as they had come too close, there was even one instance where an elephant stuck its trunk through a window of a house."
He said the villagers hoped Perhilitan would take action and prevent the elephants from coming near the village to prevent a repeat of yesterday's attack.
Yesterday, 75-year-old Misirah Saniman was killed after she was attacked by an elephant. She suffered broken bones and severe internal injuries.
Her devastated husband Sugianto Giman said he felt helpless as he watched his wife slowly languish and die in his arms while he rushed her to the nearest health facility for treatment.
Recalling the events, Sugianto said he was shocked and immediately rushed to the scene after being alerted by a villager of his wife's fate.