A man can be seen scaling the tower. Attempts to talk him down by the authorities have proven to be futile thus far.
KANOWIT: The man who scaled a telecommunication tower at Bukit Memaloh here claimed that an argument with his colleague at an oil palm plantation at Nanga Dap here had prompted him to climb the tower.
The new update from Kanowit Fire and Rescue Department (Bomba) head Arrahman Chik came after a policeman was sent up the 100 metre structure to try to talk the man down.
He said that a policeman climbed the tower at 10.07am today as requested by the man.
“At 10.33am, food was given to him.
“Based on his conversation with the policeman, he said that his name is Randie, an Indonesian.
“He said that he worked as a woodcutter at Nanga Dap,” he said.
Arrahman said that the man had suddenly began to cry when the policeman attempted to coax him down.
The man also threatened to jump if the policeman got any closer, leaving the latter with no choice but to descend.
The authorities have cordoned off the area around the tower, with strict orders not to let anyone near.
The situation unfolded after authorities told the media that the man could have climbed the tower at 7am yesterday, leading firemen from the Kanowit fire station to camp out at the location.
“Efforts to coax him down was fruitless as the man would throw down objects like screws at the rescuers,” Bomba said in a statement earlier.
Personnel from the Kanowit Hospital, Telekom Malaysia and police are also at the scene.
The rescuers have set up a safety net near the base of the tower.