SRI AMAN: A retired Fire and Rescue Department (Bomba) officer and his friends killed a 10m-long (32.9 ft) python weighing 350kg in the forest of Sekupang, Tanjung Lutong in Lingga near here.
Marjuki Muhi said his experience with the Bomba special unit for 31 years had greatly helped him defeat the python.
“Long-term experiences have taught me how to stay calm and think quickly about how to save myself when dealing with stressful situations (such as finding a snake),” he said.
Commenting on how he found the python, Marjuki said he and his friends went to the Sekupang forest area to conduct land surveying works in the forest.
“As we passed through the Sekupang forest area around 9am, my friends and I suddenly encountered a very large snake moving slowly towards us – slowly because it was either very full or because it was too big.
“For safety reasons, my friends and I had to make the decision to fight the python.
“After an hour of fighting, we finally managed to kill it. Thankfully, we are all safe and did not suffer any injuries. We left the python behind because it was too heavy,” he said, adding they were using tools such as iron rods, wood and machetes to subdue the python.
According to the 55-year-old retired firefighter, they always carried sharp weapons when entering the forest.
He said before they entered the forest area, an old man told them to be careful when they were in the Sekupang forest area.
Marjuki said he and his friends had no intention of killing the python, instead they were more concerned about their own safety.
Marjuki and his eight friends – Jemat Muhi, Mamat Syahdan Jemat, Hairol Bolhasan, Wan Hafindi, Wan Mazuan, Hasrol @ Seroi, Alex Ya @ Udak John and Terry Adanah – were land surveyors from Geospec Sdn Bhd.
A video of a python caught by Marjuki and his friends went viral after it was uploaded on social media on Monday.
In February 2018, a snake of the same size was also found and killed in Kelawit, Tatau.
The latest sighting of the snake in the forests of Lingga could be the longest ever sighted in Malaysia. The longest snake in captivity – also a reticulated python – is named Medusa in Kansas City, Missouri. Medsa was 25 feet, 2 inches long when she was measured in October of 2011, according to the website of Guinness World Records.
According to the Sarawak Forestry Corporation, pythons are a protected species in the state. Any illegal hunting of this animal will result in offenders being sentenced to one year’s jail or a fine of RM 10,000.
