By DayakDaily Team
KUCHING, Oct 4: Dudong assemblyman Dato Seri Tiong King Sing has called for the extension of the search for a missing 64-year-old express boat operator following the Sept 9 collision along Tanjung Kunyit, Sibu, despite being officially suspended.
In a Facebook post, he acknowledged that the search operation is extremely difficult and faces multiple challenges, such as strong river currents, murky water, and near-zero visibility underwater.
“Nonetheless, I urge the police to continue intensifying their efforts and actively seek support from various resources, such as deploying sonar scanning equipment or enlisting the help of companies with the necessary technical expertise.
“This could provide critical clues and improve the effectiveness of the search, giving our best effort to assist the distressed family,” he said on Friday (Oct 3).
This followed Tiong’s visit to the site of the incident after receiving an appeal for help from the victim’s family.
It was also reported that Tiong expressed disappointment over the shipping company’s alleged lack of concern for the victim’s family, adding that the company should have stepped forward to help and provide moral support to the victim’s family.
In the incident, an express boat transporting goods for longhouses along the Rajang and Pasin rivers collided with a container-laden cargo ship near Tanjung Kunyit.
The cargo ship’s helmsman noticed the express boat approaching at an alarming distance and began to reduce speed.
However, the express boat suddenly crossed in front of the cargo ship’s path, leading to a collision. The express boat sank shortly after the collision, with the cargo floating on the river’s surface. — DayakDaily
