KUCHING: Deputy Premier Datuk Amar Dr Sim Kui Hian has urged Sarawakians to take fire safety and prevention measures seriously as fires can occur unexpectedly.
He stressed the importance of public education on fire prevention, especially given the challenges faced by the Sarawak Fire and Rescue Department (Bomba), which included both the state’s vast geographical terrain and risks posed by the growing petrochemical industry.
“A fire can happen easily, but preventing it requires more effort. Therefore, the community must learn (about fire safety and prevention) and take them seriously.
“One of the new challenges in Sarawak is the petrochemical industry. Everyone, not just Bomba, must be on constant high alert, following fire incidents involving Press Metal, OCI Malaysia and Trienekens landfill in Bintulu this year.
“With extreme climate changes occurring, we can also expect to see bushfires and peat soil fires happening,” he said to reporters after officiating the Bomba-Steel Recon Industries (SRI) Outreach Programme at SJK Chung Hua No.4 yesterday.
The two-hour programme educated over 120 primary school students, parents, and teachers on fire safety through various activities.
Dr Sim, who is also Minister of Public Health, Housing and Local Government, praised Bomba’s proactive efforts in organising such programme and congratulated it for conducting over 14,000 fire awareness campaigns nationwide.
“This outreach programme is very important because students can bring this knowledge home to share with their families.
“Fire prevention requires cooperation, not finger pointing or blaming. If everyone knows what to do, fires can be prevented,” he said.
Also present were Malaysia Bomba director-general Datuk Nor Hisham Mohammad, Malaysia Bomba Fire Safety Division director Datuk Khirudin Drahman @ Husaini, Sarawak Bomba director Tiong Ling Hii, SRI managing director Datuk Ong Yow Siang, and SJK Chung Hua No.4 headmaster Pui Jin Tung.
