SIBU, Aug 9: The government has been urged to expedite the approval of a Voluntary Firefighting Unit for Igan.
Speaking to reporters at the sideline of Majlis Pedun Likew last night, Igan MP Ahmad Johnnie Zawawie said his constituency is in need of this unit as the nearest fire station is in Mukah, which will take firemen 40 minutes to reach Igan.
“I have brought up the matter in Parliament previously. I will speak to the minister concerned or his deputy again when he visits Daro on Aug 20 as the matter is urgent,” he said.
Zawawie said as most traditional Melanau houses in Igan are made of wood, if a fire occurs they will be destroyed in less than 20 minutes.
“I can’t say how soon the application will be approved but we will try to expedite it. While waiting for its approval, one of the alternatives is to equip every house in Igan with a fir extinguisher. This is similar to what we have done for longhouses in the surrounding area where they have been given such facility,” he added.
On the coming 15th General Election, the first term parliamentarian said he is ready for it if he is renominated by his party PBB to defend the seat.
“If the party leadership selects me again, I am ready for it as I have been servicing the people regularly for the last four years. I have also fulfilled their requests,” he said.
Zawawie also predicted a multiple corner fight for the Igan seat in the next election.
“It will definitely be a multiple corner fight as the Opposition does not want the government side to win the seat uncontested. The only different this time is that there will not be any big issue as compared to the 2018 election where national issues which include GST and 1MDB played a big part,” he said. — DayakDaily
