Sarawak govt to review safety measures after Sibu Jaya pond tragedy, says Dr Sim

KUCHING (Feb 6): The Sarawak government will be reviewing safety features and enforcement at the retention and oxidation pond near Sibu Jaya flats following the tragic drowning of three children on Feb 4, said Deputy Premier Datuk Amar Dr Sim Kui Hian.

He said preliminary reports indicated that fences were in place around the pond, but over the years they had been vandalised.

“First of all, I’ll get more details from Sibu Jaya. Based on what I read in the newspapers, there were fences there, but over the years, vandalism (damaged the fences).

“It’s so sad that the public, instead of helping us, are actually destroying it. So sometimes I’m just wondering if we need to educate people.

“The people have to realise that this is for the safety – safety is not just a responsibility when things happen,” he told reporters after officiating the ‘Komuniti Prihatin, Kediaman Selamat Bersama Bomba Sarawak’ programme at a mall in Batu Kawa here.

Dr Sim also noted that a similar incident had been reported in 2019, highlighting the ongoing need for vigilance.

The State Minister for Public Health, Housing and Local Government emphasised that everyone has a role to play in ensuring the safety of the area.

He added that enforcement would need to be strengthened to prevent further vandalism of safety features.

“I mentioned that sometimes the fire hydrants, what do people do? Cement it and put the car on top. I mean, that (fire hydrant) is for a purpose.

“I hope that with a civil society, people have to understand why we don’t do this and why we fence off the pond; because it is dangerous,” he said.