A CAR mechanic from Kampung Padang Tapong in Jertih was shocked by the presence of a huge sun bear near his house on Monday night.

Mohd Azmi Nazir, 43, said the bear with long sharp claws was behind his house at about 10.30pm when he returned from his mother’s residence in the same village.

“When I reached home with my wife and two children, I heard a noise from the store of my house which is situated at the back. I directed my torchlight towards where the noise was coming from and I could see the huge bear ransacking a container filled with cat food.

“The bear did not seem bothered about my presence since it continued to eat until everything was gone,” he said when met at his house today.

Mohd Azmi said fearing for his safety, he ran back into his house and shut the door behind him. He later watched the bear’s movement from the window and saw it leaving his compound 10 minutes later.

“The bear seemed unbothered by the presence of humans around because it was walking slowly as it was leaving my yard. It did not go toward the bushes but headed to my neighbours.

“I quickly contacted them to warn of the bear’s presence,” he said adding that it was his first experience with the presence of a wild animal at his house since staying there for more than four years.

He therefore urged the authorities to take the necessary action to ensure the safety of the villagers. – Bernama, December 27, 2023