2 dogs bite off maid's scalp

SEREMBAN - An Indonesian maid lost part of her scalp while two locals, including a policeman were injured in attacks by two American bulldogs in Kampung Masjid Lenggeng near here yesterday.

The incident occurred at 7.50am when Ruhimah Juandi, 51, had just come back to her employer's house after buying nasi lemak from a stall.

"I bought the nasi lemak for myself and the 80-year-old woman that I take care of as everyone else had gone out," she said at Tuanku Ja'afar Hospital (HTJ) here yesterday.

"When I came back from the stall, which is just 50m away from the house, I took the nasi lemak inside the house and came out to clean the floor.

"Suddenly, two large dogs came straight at me. I tried to ward them off with a water hose but the dogs bit me and I fell.

"I could not get up as the dogs had pinned me down and kept biting me as if I was their meal."

Ruhimah said part of her scalp, along with her hair, was bitten off and her left arm was broken. Her scalp, which was carried off by one of the dogs, was found behind the house.

Nasi lemak seller Hoosni Anuar Hamid, 44, from whom Ruhimah had bought her breakfast, saw the attack. He got into his car and tried to ram the dogs.

He said the dogs ran away and Ruhimah ran into the house.

Hoosni said he drove to the Lenggeng police station to inform policemen of the incident, then drove to the Lenggeng clinic to call for an ambulance, and within 30 minutes returned to check on Ruhimah, who was conscious.

He informed the neighbours of the incident, then went to his stall to sit with his wife and their 4-year-old son.

"I saw the the dogs coming to my stall and went to chase them as I was afraid they might attack my son and wife. But the dogs pounced on me while I tried to fight back," said Hoosni, who was bitten on his mouth, legs and arms.

At that time, Lance Corporal Mohd Naser Sulaiman from Lenggeng station passed by on his motorcycle and warded off the dogs with a stick but was bitten on his ankle.

After the dogs had run off and both victims were taken to HTJ, Naser went to his home to grab his shotgun, went back to the scene and fired four shots, killing the dogs.

He received outpatient treatment at the clinic.

Ruhimah and Hoosni were reported to be in stable condition.

Villagers claimed the dogs were usually kept in chains to guard a chilli farm from drug addicts but the two escaped yesterday.

Nilai police chief Superintendent Abdullah Roning said investigation showed that the farmer, in his 40s, who was not at his farm during the incident, reared 10 dogs without licences, including the two killed.