A fishy smell is a sign that 'sang bedal' is coming out to play
A fishy smell is a sign that 'sang bedal' is near
Photo source : File pix
According to Kalabakan villager Asromi Usman, 25, ' Sang Bedal' or crocodiles as they are commonly known to the locals here can be seen 'relaxing' and 'sunbathing' by the Kalabakan river.
"If the river is in high tide, the crocodile will 'sunbathe' by the river and the length can reach up to more than five meters.
"We always see the crocodile by the river but no one dares to approach it, we used to leave the bait to catch shrimps here itself before the crocodile attacks us " he told Sinar Harian.
The crocodiles are a source of fear and worry for the fishermen here as their source of income depends on the river or sea.
Everytime a fisherman or any of the villagers step into the river or the sea they face a looming fear of ' Sang Bedal' greeting them with their sharp teeth, beady yellow eyes and a body built like a war machine.
Most of the residents who had to get into the water as their source of income only manages to pray for a safe journey.
Asromi said that the Kalabakan river has lots of shrimp which is a good source of income for the people there.
" But usually we will be careful and be able to anticipate the presence of 'Sang Bedal' when you notice an unusual strong fishy smell in the river.
"Usually it will appear at night when the fisherman is looking for shrimp and if the fish smell appears, we will use a torch to flash out and if we see its eyes, we will leave the area immediately," he said.
When asked about the government's action to get rid of the crocodiles in areas where there are quite a number of people, Asromi expressed his relief as he felt the move would reduce the crocodile population.
"I'm also worried because so far there have been seven cases of crocodile attacks including two in our village. So if that is government's decision, we are all relieved.
"As a fisherman I will feel happy because it can reduce the risk to enter the river or the sea," he said.
