Wild elephant attacks and injures two people in Gerik

TAIPING: Two people were seriously hurt after they were believed to have been attacked by a wild elephant at Km20 of the East-West Highway, near Gerik, yesterday.
In the incident at the Banun Resettlement Scheme (RPS) at 5.30pm, the victims Poh Keat Chye, 48, and Indonesian national, Edris Suparti, 40, both had broken ribs and were being treated at the Taiping Hospital.
State Health, Public Transport, Non-Muslim Affairs, National Integration and New Village Development Committee chairman Datuk Dr Mah Hang Soon said the victims were stable but were being monitored on a 24-hour basis.
"They stopped by the side of the road and the man ventured 20m into the jungle to urinate, while the woman waited near the car, without realising the presence of a wild elephant.
"The man made a dash to safety (when he saw the elephant) but the animal pulled him to the ground and stomped on him, while the woman fell when trying to escape," he told reporters after visiting them at the Taiping Hospital here today.
Dr Mah urged road users in the area to exercise caution because it was along an elephant route.
Meanwhile, Keat Chye's elder brother, Robert Poh, 60, said during the incident his brother was heading to Penang from Terengganu to send Edris home to Jakarta. — Bernama