Lesser mortals would have looked the other way but farmers Sylvester John and Geramias Gunir thought nothing about their own safety when they came face-to-face with two wanted men.
Thanks to their help, police managed to arrest Mohd Sahrizal Suhaili, 21, and Mohd Ariffin Bidin, 29, for the kidnap, assault and rape of a Universiti Malaysia Sabah student last week.
State Police Commissioner Datuk Noor Rashid Ibrahim handed them appreciation letters and cash rewards.
Geramias, 50, from Kg Sunsuron, Tambunan, was resting with his brother in a hut next to his rubber farm, about one kilometre from where the criminals had crashed after a high-speed chase with police on April 16, when an injured Sahrizal emerged from the jungle seeking their help.
"He was bleeding just above his right eye and his hand was swollen he seemed pale, tired and edgy," said the former assistant manager of a plantation.
Immediately instinct kicked in. "After being informed to be on the lookout for suspicious characters by patrolling policemen earlier, we had a strong feeling that this could be the person. He told us that his motorcycle crashed and that police were looking for him," he said. Geramias told his brother to keep the man calm and relaxed while he slipped away to the main road where he found a police MPV unit.
Police rushed to the area, parked their vehicle a distance away, and crept up on the criminal. "The man really did not have a clue we were on to him...earlier we said things like kasian oh kau (we feel sorry for you).
"The police were very professional...they sneaked up on the man and apprehended him, he did not resist, it's not like he had a chance anyway," he said.
48-year-old Sylvester from Kg Mansurulung, Tambunan, meanwhile, ran into the second criminal, Ariffin, the next morning.
He recalled how he had to make an effort to stay calm and composed as he talked the wanted man into believing that he would be free at the end of the day.
But instead he delivered Ariffin in his aging Nissan C20 van into the arms of waiting police at a roadblock. "I tried to ambil hati (draw his trust) and he seemed to be convinced," he said.
Sylvester said earlier while he waited for a relative in Kg Rompon, the man had emerged from the jungle behind a bus stop and approached him, asking if he could hitch a ride to town.
"I almost immediately recognised him (so) I told him 'no problem', only that I have to wait for my relative before we can leave," he said, adding police had also showed residents there a photo of the criminal.
"He asked me if I had heard of an accident here recently and I pretended not to know anything.
"He then told me it was actually him who was involved in the mishap, and that police shot his tyres, trying to catch him for selling smuggled cigarettes."
Sylvester played along.
"I sympathised with him and said the police did not need to do that because contraband cigarettes could be found anywhere."
They left after his relative showed up but he deliberately picked a road near the Tambunan Golf Club, knowing there would be a roadblock there.
The man tried to jump out from the van on seeing they were approaching the roadblock. "I quickly said it was okay, that I knew the policemen, and told him to duck so police cannot see him.
"But at the same time I stepped on the gas, worried that he might jump out, and also flashed my headlights at the police."
When he brought the van to a halt, Sylvester said the man immediately opened the door and hurried out. "But two policemen were already waiting for him there. He resisted arrest, resulting in all of them falling into a puddle of mud but was later subdued."
Sylvester insisted he was never worried about his safety, confident that if he could bring the man to the roadblock, the police would take care of the rest.
"I am very proud to receive a commendation from the police. This kind of appreciation will surely encourage others to help the police in future," he said, beaming with pride.
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