KUCHING: There are concerns that some 200 Chinese nationals are being employed at the coal mine in Abok when there is only one Sarawakian worker there.
To add salt to injury, it was alleged that the Chinese nationals were being paid a minimal salary of RM2,500 per month, whereas the sole local, hired as a security guard, received a salary of RM400 per month.
Pulau Pinang Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Dr Mansor Othman and Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) potential Sri Aman candidate Nicholas Mujah disclosed this yesterday outside the coal mine that claimed the lives of three people and injured nine others when fires broke out in its tunnel on Friday.
Both Mansor, who is Penanti assemblyman, and Mujah were stopped at the front gate and denied entry. Accompanying the duo were Keadilan state leaders Abang Ziklifli, Baharuddin Mokhsen and activist Numpang Suntai.
“Interview with locals also revealed that there were two explosions in the mine on Friday, March 30. The first explosion was heard at 8.30am when local residents saw intense black smoke coming out of the mine.
“Then at 3.30pm, it was said that some of the miners went into the mine not long before another explosion was heard and thick white smoke was seen.
“With the last explosion, one Chinese national died at the site and two others died on the way to Kuching. One is still warded in intensive care whilst one has been moved to the normal ward. Nine others sustained slight injuries,” said Batu Lintang assemblyman See Chee How on behalf of Mansor and Mujah in a press statement.
It was also mentioned that Mansor expressed the party’s sympathy for the families of the deceased and those injured.
He urged the state government and authorities to carry out a thorough investigation to ensure that safety procedures and regulations are strictly adhered to in the coal mine and that reasonable compensation must be paid to the deceased workers’ families and those injured.
Abok is located near Pantu, about 80km from Sri Aman.