Teen uses machete to save himself from bear attack

HULU TERENGGANU - A teen manages to save himself by using his machete after he was attacked by a bear at his father's durian farm in Kampung Lerek, here on Thursday.

The incident at 4.30pm caused the victim Al Amin Ratna Shariman Alias, 18, to suffer injuries on his head.

His brother Aweh Zulkurnain, 22, said he left for the farm alone on his motorcycle before stopping at the shoulder of the road and walking for one kilometre.

“While walking he was shocked to see a bear eating the durian. My brother at the time was at a distance of a few metres away from the bear.

“He hurriedly ran and attempted to hide behind a tree, but the bear had attacked him,” he told reporters, here on Friday.

He explained as he was attacked, his brother managed to swing his machete towards the bear.

“In that desperate state, he had collapsed after being hit by the bear’s claw before it took off.

“We are glad that he’s safe. This was a first in our family’s 20-year history of managing the durian field,” he said.

He said the animal was seen several times by residents around the area, but no unwanted incident had occurred.

“Residents in the village have seen the bear several times, but it continued to flee without attacking.

“I think the bear acted aggressively because it was shocked by my brother’s presence,” he said.

Aweh Zulkurnain said his brother was sent to the Hulu Terengganu Hospital (HHT) and received a few stitches on his head.