TATAU: Every newly built longhouse must have safety features and fire extinguishers, said Minister in the Premier’s Department, Datuk John Sikie Tayai.
He said such measures would help to prevent longhouse fires.
“Building a new longhouse requires careful planning including the need to look at the safety aspects.
“In the past, fires usually started from the kitchens. But today, fires are caused by mosquito coils, candle flames, short circuits and in some cases, charging mobile phones on mattresses,” he said.
Sikie was speaking at the ‘Majlis Mangkong Tiang’ ceremony for the new longhouse at Rumah Gundi Chungat in Nanga Biban Kiba, here recently.
He urged all parties, especially longhouse residents, to be careful and to learn from the misfortunes that had occurred in several longhouses.
Sikie, who is also the Kakus assemblyman, added that strong cooperation from all residents was also needed to build a new longhouse.
