Rumours of Fatal Snake Bite at Karpal Singh Drive Quashed

The internet was abuzz with widespread social media reports about a 16-year-old Chinese girl who was allegedly bitten to death by a cobra on Karpal Singh Drive in Penang, Malaysia. YB Lim Siew Khim, the State Assemblywoman of Sungai Pinang, clarified that the authorities have not received any such reports.

She mentioned that there was a report of a middle-aged man who had a fatal incident last Saturday night while attending the Nine Emperor Gods Festival. He may have suffered from health issues, possibly a heart problem, and, while resting by the riverbank, accidentally fell off the embankment and passed away.

She pointed out that after discovering the news about a girl being bitten by a cobra on Persiaran Karpal Singh through social media on Monday night, she had contacted the police in the Northeast District, the Fire and Rescue Department, and the City Council for information. However, none of these authorities had any information regarding such an incident.

YB Lim denied the rumours and emphasised that there was no incident of a cobra biting someone on Karpal Singh Drive. She pointed out that people had spread unverified information on social media about a girl being bitten by a snake, causing unnecessary panic. 

Recently, there have been rumours circulating on social media in the form of audio recordings claiming that a 16-year-old girl was bitten to death by a cobra on Karpal Singh Drive in Penang. This has prompted the public to be extra cautious when visiting the area with their children or grandchildren.

This is the image that has been making the rounds online apparently documenting the fatal attack at Persiaran Karpal Singh.

The individual in the recording also mentioned that many people had found snakes among the rocks, and unfortunately, the snake that bit the girl had no odour. The tragic incident occurred around midnight, and the victim passed away at the scene.

In recent years, Persiaran Karpal Singh has become not only a popular place for family recreational activities but also a thriving business district with numerous shops. Therefore, this news has stirred up fervent discussions among the public.

Ms. Yeap Poh Looi, YB Lim’s assistant stated that they have not received any reports of cobra or snake sightings.

On the other hand, Ms. Yeap added that many fishing enthusiasts frequent Karpal Singh Drive for angling, but their team has never received any reports of cobras appearing among the rocks.

She mentioned that in the past, there were occasional snake sightings in the area known as the "Trash Mountain," and authorities had conducted snake-catching operations there. However, there have been no recent reports of snakes in the area.

Ms. Yeap also stated that the cause of death for the man mentioned is awaiting the results of a post-mortem report to confirm the exact cause.

The public is advised to fact check and verify information before sharing something that could be deemed as fake news. 

Source: Kwong Wah Yit Poh