‘Proper SOP needed to prevent pipeline explosion recurrence’

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KUCHING: Petronas must come up with a concrete action plan to ensure that the explosion at its gas pipeline near Long Luping early yesterday morning will not recur.

In stating this, former Ba Kelalan assemblyman Datuk Nelson Balang Rining said the incident – the second since 2014 – has created fear among the people living in the vicinity of the RM3-billion Sabah-Sarawak Gas Pipeline (SSGP) project.

“We hope Petronas will come up with a proper standard operating procedure (SOP) to ensure that it (explosion) will not happen again,” Balang told The Borneo Post here yesterday.

He also urged the national oil corporation to conduct a proper safety briefing for the locals so that they would know what to do should such an incident happen again in the future.

“When they heard the loud explosion this morning (yesterday), many of the parents decided not to send their children to school because they were not sure what was happening.

“The people in the vicinity were also not sure what was going on, and this created a lot of panic and fear,” he added.

Balang, who is Progressive Democratic Party (PDP) deputy president and chairman of PDP Ba Kelalan Division,

pointed out that after the first incident in June 2014, Petronas should have come up with a proper SOP.

The 2014 explosion ripped apart a portion of the gas pipeline along the stretch between Lawas town and Long Sukang.

“We would also like to appeal to Petronas to provide regular safety maintenance along the pipeline. This way, it is hoped that such incidents will not recur,” he said.

Balang reiterated that even though yesterday’s incident did not result in casualties, it does not mean Petronas should not take precautionary measures to prevent its recurrence.

“Petronas must also reassure the people that the whole pipeline system is safe and that it will not happen again to prevent further negative perception of its safety, especially for those are living near the pipeline.”