Researcher barely alive when found in jungle

KOTA KINABALU: Sabah Forestry Department researcher M.A. Tajuddin Mustapha was a pitiful sight when rescuers finally found him nearly five days after he went missing in the jungle.

The 44-year-old, who disappeared on Aug 29 while looking for herbs, was weak and could barely walk when he was found at 11.45am yesterday.

He was quickly brought out of the Deramakot forest reserve in Kinabatangan and allowed to rest before being given a preliminary medical examination.

Department director Datuk Sam Mannan said Tajuddin was later flown to the Duchess of Kent Hospital in Sandakan, where he would be monitored for a few days.

“We will talk to him and find out what exactly happened,” he said.

It is believed that Tajuddin had been eating wild herbs and fruits, as well as drinking from the river to sustain himself while trying to find his way out of the forest.

Tajuddin, a research assistant who works on inventory and plant identification as well as field support, was part of a five-member team which had entered the 55,507ha forest reserve to carry out an inventory of trees.

The group had finished for the day and were walking out to the road just 10 minutes away when Tajuddin told his colleagues to go ahead as he wanted to look for some herbs.

They became worried when he did not emerge from the forest after some time and sounded the alarm.

stephanielee@thestar.com.my