Authorities swing into action at express boat terminal
by Peter Boon. Posted on May 29, 2011, Sunday
SIBU: Authorities mounted checks on express boats to ensure stringent safety compliance as the ‘balik kampung’ crowd swelled to mammoth size, numbering thousands yesterday, congesting the express boat terminal here.
BALIK KAMPUNG CROWD: Passengers rushing home for the Gawai Dayak celebration.
Sarawak Rivers Board (SRB) officers together with enforcement officers from Marine Department here combed express boats for safety equipment such as life jackets and imposed stringent safety measures to curb overloading. A rare sight indeed with the mass exodus expected to climax on May 30 as many could only make their way home at the eleventh hour.
Marine officers were seen asking skippers to show their licences while SRB personnel helped old folk and children board and disembark from boats.
For folk heading home for the celebration in the upper reaches of the Rajang River, riverine transport remains the sole option to reach their destinations.
Banners were clearly visible at the terminal, reminding passengers on the importance of life jackets. Interviewed on Thursday, SRB chairman Roland Sagah Wee Inn urged passengers to be proactive in safeguarding their own safety, assuring of stern actions against non-compliance.
“Passengers too, must be proactive in ensuring their own safety. We encourage them to report to us if they fail to sight any safety equipment such as life jackets in the express boat that they are boarding,” Sagah said.
To better safeguard the safety of passengers, SRB officers were in the thick of action, recording down details of every passenger.
Matthew Linggang, 60, rushing home for his daughter wedding on second day of Gawai in Kapit, gave the thumbs-up to SRB for actively ensuring the safety of boat passengers. A long queue was formed as passengers made a beeline for the officers to give their details.
“The authorities ought to be given a pat on their back for walking the extra mile in ensuring the safety and comfort of passengers,” Matthew enthused.
The senior citizen did not mind the extra step, describing it as being carried out for the good of the passengers. Another passenger, who wished only to be known as Albert, also sang praises of SRB and Marine Department for inspecting express boats and advising passengers on the safety features.
“The way I see it, they have done an excellent job as they are committed in ensuring passengers reaching their destinations safe and sound,” he said. Despite the massive crowd, everything was orderly and security tightened with the presence of the men in blue. Police personnel were seen in every corner of the terminal to keep law and order.
Malaysian Civil Defence Department (JPAM) was also in the thick of the action, backing up SRB’s efforts.
“This is an annual collaboration between the two departments to prevent any untoward incident,” its local head Lieutenant Madihi Habib told thesundaypost over the phone. Asked on the number of personnel stationed at the terminal, he gave assurance that there were not fewer than five.
When asked on the roles of their personnel, Madihi replied: “We are working closely with SRB, providing backup support in the event of an emergency.”
Asked if an ambulance would be placed on standby, he said they would do so if there were a need for it. This was because the ambulance was also needed to respond to other emergencies, he clarified. Meanwhile, a peek into an express boat, saw life jackets strapped to passengers’ seats.
With barely 72 hours before Gawai, the usually quiet waterfront was turned into a hive of human activities.
Luggage was stacked up on top of one another while porters rushed against time to load items onto express boats.
