KUCHING: There are 34,838 fire hydrants across Sarawak, 707 of which have been installed at longhouse areas, said Deputy Minister of Housing and Local Government Datuk Seri Ismail Abdul Muttalib today.
He said the government had been caring enough to equip some longhouses with fire hydrants even though those dwellings were private properties.
“The government is not obligated to provide fire hydrants to longhouses for they are private properties as stipulated under the Sarawak Building Ordinance 1994.
“Despite so, the government is caring enough to equip some longhouses with fire hydrants through the Fire and Rescue Department (Bomba) and Ministry of Housing and Local Government (KPKT),” he said in a reply to Sibuti MP Lukanisman Awang Sauni in Parliament.
Lukanisman was asking whether it was the responsibility of KPKT to install fire hydrants at longhouses in Sarawak to ensure the safety of these dwellers.
Ismail pointed out that his ministry had bid for funds to install new fire hydrants at several locations nationwide including longhouses in Sarawak next year.
He hoped that the Economic Planning Unit and Ministry of Finance would approve such funds which would be meant for the well-being and safety of the people.
As a proactive measure, he said KPKT through the state Bomba had been collaborating with the Sarawak Rural Water Supply Department (JBALB) to identify the appropriate locations for the installation of fire hydrants.
“On top of that, KPKT has also through Bomba Malaysia implemented preventive measures such as awareness programmes to help keep fire incidents in longhouses at bay.
“Programmes such as fire training, Summer Camp and distribution of fire extinguishers have been organised in conjunction with non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and corporate sector through the Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) programme,” he added.
Ismail informed the Parliament that there were about 4,500 longhouses across the country.
He said he had also been informed that Lukanisman as well as other MPs had been allocating funds to help equip longhouses and shop-lots with fire extinguishers in a bid to ensure safety among the locals.