It was a gorgeous cool morning in the highlands of Bukit Tinggi, Pahang. Covered by thick mist with sun rays occasionally piercing through, one can distinctly hear the loud calls of our gibbons or just be in absolute awe of the majestic kenyalang (hornbill) gliding gracefully above the dense forest.
During one of our many long weekends, my friends and I decided to stay at a lodge perched just above a stream which eventually leads to a nearby waterfall. With our stomachs fully satisfied from a delicious breakfast, my suggestion to walk it off together before our next big meal was unanimously shot down. Off they went back to dreamland and I was left to solo trek in the jungle.
After a short hike, I reached upon a lovely waterfall. I have always liked these cascading waters ever since I was a child. My parents would bring me to Templer Park for family picnics during the school holidays back then and I would play all day in it. The sheer amount of rushing, falling water (which releases massive amounts of negative ions into the air) gives an invigorating feeling like no other!
As I was totally drenched from the inherent humidity, I jumped right into the adjacent rock pool without any hesitation whatsoever. The refreshing cold water was so clear that I could see all the way to the bottom with tiny colourful fishes swimming in it. It feels as if I am swimming in a giant freshwater aquarium!
I also noticed four other teenagers frolicking and enjoying themselves with water continuously gushing down on their heads. What a joy to hear so much laughter! They seemed to know the area well and I managed to find out from one of them that they were from a village not so far away.
It was altogether pleasant and calm delighting in nature’s hypnotic acoustics when all of a sudden, there was a loud roar akin to the sound of thunder. I found it rather odd as the sky was absolutely clear with the sun brightly shining down.
The volume of water coming down subsequently increased at a rapid rate and I managed to move to the side of the waterfall as I was in the shallow area. However, the same could not be said for my young friends as there were audible panic filled cries of “Tolong! Tolong!”
The water surge came and went swiftly in a matter of minutes, with the boys just vanishing before my very own eyes! After steadying myself, I looked around everywhere for them but they were nowhere to be found. By this time, my friends from the lodge joined me for the search.
The authorities came a bit later and continued the pursuit until the very next morning. I remembered one of them telling me, “Surely they will not survive. Pray that we will at least find their bodies.” They eventually found them, but only three out of four in total. What happened to the fourth boy, I wondered. I was very clear that I saw four kids in the pool when I arrived at the waterfall earlier. When I told the rangers about this, they were perplexed as only three families came to claim the bodies.
I now see waterfalls in a completely different light after my dreadful experience. Masked by its sheer beauty is a beast waiting to be unleashed. Water surges can come and go without much warning and there is little one can do if you are in the deep end. Trapped upriver by fallen logs due to decay/deforestation, water is then released after too much build up and the resulting immense force causes the surge. Another possibility could be due a heavy downpour or discharge of water at an upstream dam that has reached its full capacity.
As this unfortunate episode happened some time ago, it is my hope that someday this poor little boy’s remains will be found and there will be closure for all concerned. I have been adversely affected by this calamitous incident until today and I can vividly hear their frantic screams in my head every now and then. Seeking psychiatric help did make a difference and my mental health is still in the process of recovering, albeit at a slow pace. When I am ready to be near a waterfall again, I will make sure that I am always in alert mode and prepared for any eventuality, including a tsunami!
This may be super far-fetched and an extremely long shot but if the missing boy had indeed survived the ordeal on that fateful day, and if he is somehow reading this article, know that you are very blessed as someone up there thinks your time is not up yet!
