Members of the public expressed concern following a viral video of alleged sighting of a tiger (harimau belang) at Jalan Simpang Pulai-Cameron Highlands.
Most of the road users also worry that the wild animal might become a victim of irresponsible parties, especially poachers.
A driver, Zainudin Ahmad hoped that the authorities will increase control at the area, especially the location where the tiger was claimed to be sighted.
“While using the road, I have yet to catch sight of a tiger.
“In the viral video, the animal also seems afraid. No matter what, I will remain alert,” Zainudin said.
Vegetable lorry driver, Jamaluddin Abd. Halim said the sighting of the tiger may reflect that its habitat is threatened.
According to him, this incident is not the first as previously there was also a driver who claimed to have caught sight of a tiger before it disappeared.
“There are a lot of stories on tiger sightings in public being reported, for example, at a village at the edge of the forest.
“As a driver, there are worries but wild animals usually do not disturb humans unless their habitat is threatened,” he stated.
Meanwhile, monitoring is being carried out by the Department of Wildlife and National Parks Peninsular Malaysia (Perhilitan) Perak following the claim.
Director of state Perhilitan, Yusof Shariff said the viral video on social media claimed that the tiger was spotted near the Rest & Service area (R@R) or the Banjaran Cafe there.
According to him, his department received the video recording at 10pm.
“Investigation is ongoing by Perhilitan Perak. Following that, we have sent a Perak Tiger Unit to the location,” he said in a media statement today.
A 17-second long video recorded by a road user showing a tiger roaming in bushes in the hilly area has been going viral since yesterday.
Rosli Mansor
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