KUCHING, April 26: A 75-year-old man who went missing while searching for wood in the forest near Kampung Judan, Mukah, has been found safe today, bringing relief to his worried family and villagers.
The Fire and Rescue Department (Bomba) reported that the victim, Narudin Abdullah, was found by villagers at around 11am. Thankfully, he was unharmed.
“The victim was found by villagers who were part of the search and rescue (SAR) team. He was reported to be safe with no injuries,” the department said in a statement.
After being found, Narudin was safely escorted out of the forest by about 12.30pm. He was immediately taken to a nearby hospital for further medical checks as a precautionary measure.
Earlier, Narudin had gone into the forest at 11am on Friday (April 25) to collect wood for making fish traps, a tradition many rural folk still practice. When he did not return home and could not be contacted, his family grew anxious and quickly sought help.
The SAR operation, led by Bomba, was launched on Friday afternoon. However, the search had to be suspended at 9.29pm because of darkness and safety concerns. Determined to find him, the search team resumed operations early this morning.
Thanks to the spirit of gotong-royong (community cooperation) among the villagers and the SAR team, Narudin was found and safely reunited with his family.
This incident reminds us of the strong community values still present in rural Malaysia, where neighbours and authorities work hand-in-hand during emergencies.
