KUALA TERENGGANU: A man spent more than 32 hours perched on a 45m-high cengal tree and rebuffed countless attempts to get him to come down in Kampung Sungai Pinang near here.

The Cambodian construction worker scaled the tree at about 12.30pm on Friday and his antics, swinging from branch to branch and tree to tree, attracted the attention of villagers, firemen and policemen.

They tried to coax the father of two to come down but to no avail.

No one knew why the man, who is in his 30s, had climbed the tree and his refusal to come down prompted fears that he might jump.

Various methods were used by firemen and police personnel to persuade him to come down.

Kuala Terengganu Fire and Rescue station chief Deputy Commissioner Che Shaari Abdullah said, according to villagers, the man was also seen trying to come down the tree a few times but changed his mind and climbed up again.

“It seemed as if he was undecided on what to do,” he said.

Che Shaari said some villagers believed the man had climbed up the tree following a misunderstanding involving other villagers.

The authorities were afraid that the man might fall as he had not eaten or drank anything since Friday afternoon.

Che Shaari said that in most cases a person would become lethargic and weak after 36 hours without food or water.

At noon yesterday, the matter was left to the police and they decided to bring four Cambodians to communicate with the man and an ustaz to advise him, but he still remained on the tree.

When darkness fell, police personnel hid in nearby bushes and tricked him into believing they had left the scene.

The Cambodian climbed down at about 8.40pm and was promptly arrested.-THESTAR