Sabah: Bathing With Crocodiles

While strolling in some Bangkok bazaar years ago, I spotted an almost life-size stuffed crocodile. I fancied buying it for a bolster. Imagine hugging a crocodile as you sleep snugly at nights. But eventually the idea was dropped considering I was on a shoestring budget.

Crocodiles and alligators are really cute-looking animals. They would have been perfect pets if not for the fact that the reptiles are in the habit of turning humans into their sumptuous dinner treat. Just think for a moment, a deep green-coloured crocodile sprawling lazily in your living room as you watch Manchester United entertains Chelsea at the Old Trafford or the animal basking in your tiny garden terrace-house garden under the bright morning sun as you are getting ready to leave for work.

But for some people, having morning bath with crocodiles is something they need to leave with. No. I’m not talking about the Everglades in Florida or the crocodile territories in Australia. Nor do I talk about the movie Crocodile Dundee or Steve Irwin, the real crocodile hunter who died tragically not too long ago (not due to crocodiles attack though), but rather about some teachers in certain parts of more isolated small towns of Sabah where tap water seems like a big dream.

I was told by a young Kadazan lady teacher who teaches in that sort of small town. Each morning she has to take her bath by dipping herself in a muddy river infested by crocodiles. It is a risky business but not too many people in Malaysia could skip bathing even for a single day.

Whenever she and those who have to bathe in the river sighted the reptiles, they would quickly leave the water.

Now this story was narrated to me last year, 2007. How do you like that? After Sabah has joined Malaysia for a good 44 years this sort of scenario still exist. Alright. Maybe, just maybe, this is one isolated case in Sabah.

But some weeks ago, a Barisan Nasional Sabah State Assemblyman for Tanjung Batu told Malaysians another shocking revelation about how teachers need to sit cross-legged as though they are practicing yoga lotus-position while teaching in the Sekolah Kebangsaan Kalabakan (about 60km from Tawau) and the students sprawling on the school floors like crocodiles. They have a school but not the basic school-furniture.

Today in the Parliament, the BN member for Kalabakan, Dato’ Seri Abdul Ghapur Salleh (who resigned from his freshly-appointment as a Federal Deputy Minister in the new Cabinet) voiced out his dissatisfaction on the Federal Government treatment on Sabah, “Sabah is still being treated like a stepchild and the complains of the people of the state entered the right ears and exited the left ears”.

Last week, Dato’ Anifah Aman (BN-Kimanis) mentioned that the story about some BN Members of Parliament wanting to cross-over reflects the sentiment of the Sabah people.

And today too, Dato’ Abdul Rahman Dahalan (BN-Kota Belud) asked Abdul Ghapur (in Parliament) if is he in agreement on the cancellation of the Penang Bridge project and the allocation be given to Sabah instead.

It seems the Sabah people and their elected representatives are beginning to feel tired on the excuse of not enough budget by the Federal Government.

Well, I guess it isn’t easy dealing with crocodiles especially when they are bigger and more vicious than those found in Kinabatangan and its tributaries.