For close to two decades, Jerantut villagers bask in ‘safari’ life

FOR nearly 20 years, wild animals such as elephants and tigers crossing the roads has become a way of life in Ulu Tembeling, Jerantut in Pahang.

Villagers at Kampung Pagi, Bukit Awan and Kampung Kuala Sat are used to seeing elephants crossing the road, likening it to a “safari”, reported Mingguan Malaysia.

“It has become common for Ulu Tembeling residents to encounter elephants and tigers on the roads,” said Mustapa Abdullah, a 37-year-old resident of Kampung Pagi.

He said elephants often crossed the road between Kampung Pagi and Kampung Kuala Sat, areas known as the “Elephant Corridor”, for food.

“Some visitors have compared the phenomenon here to an ‘African Safari’, though they only get to see the elephants during the day and occasionally encounter tigers at night,” he added.

Another resident, Zulkifly Jamaluddin, frequently encounters these majestic creatures during his daily commute.

“I often see elephants crossing the road between Kampung Pagi and Mat Daling in the mornings and evenings.

“They sometimes intrude into plantations and disturb roadside stalls,” he said.

Despite the potential for disruption, the presence of elephants has turned Ulu Tembeling into an unexpected tourist attraction.

Dahalan Mohamad, a local who also often comes across the elephants, considers them part of the community.

He said that visitors are thrilled by these encounters, often stopping to take photographs of the creatures.

Wildlife enthusiast Sabri Abdullah urged the government to establish elephant conservation centres outside Taman Negara.

He pointed to successful initiatives in Thailand where collaborations with NGOs like the Nature and Wildlife Association have reduced human-elephant conflicts.

“It’s time for us to create new habitats and food source areas for wild elephants to prevent them from continually intruding into villages,” he said.

> English singer Henry Moodie shared his recent experience performing at a Kuala Lumpur mall, saying that he was moved by the overwhelming response from his Malaysian fans.

Moodie said he was surprised by the large turnout at The Exchange TRX, as he did not expect so many fans to show up given the small venue, Berita Harian reported.

Moodie did not rule out returning to Malaysia if given the opportunity to entertain his fans again.

“I definitely want to come back because Malaysians are so loving and supportive. Malaysians are amazing and that’s why I want to come again,” he said.

Recently, Moodie, who gained popularity on TikTok with his song Drunk Text, performed for free at the capital city’s shopping centre.

● The above article is compiled from the vernacular newspapers (Bahasa Malaysia, Chinese and Tamil dailies). As such, stories are grouped according to the respective language/medium. Where a paragraph begins with this ‘ >’sign, it denotes a separate news item.