By Brad Rantayy
MIRI, Dec 9: Incumbent for Senadin Dato Sri Lee Kim Shin said the Fire and Rescue Department (Bomba) Sarawak needs to expand its approach to curbing recurring bushfires in the future, especially in bushfire-prone areas such as Senadin and Tudan in Miri.
This, he said, includes civic engagement with the community, and school students are no exception.
“It is crucial for us to instil civic-mindedness amongst the community, especially students from an early age, in preventing bushfires,” he said today at the closing of the Sarawak Bomba and Petronas Carigali Sdn Bhd’s ‘Summer Camp 2021’.
Some 50 community leaders were took part in the fire safety training programme organised by Petronas Carigali Sdn Bhd (PCSB) in collaboration with the Bomba Miri.
The community leaders were from Kemena, Samalaju, Subis and Niah districts.
They received training on how to respond to fire incidents and extinguish fires during the three-day comprehensive training from December 7 to 9 at the Miri Marriott Resort and Spa hotel here.
“Dry season in the past few years had brought me sleepless nights as Miri. especially Senadin and Tudan, faced bushfires….and this recurs every year,” Lee said.
Lee believed greater civic-mindedness within the community would help to reduce bushfires.
“I strongly believe when we have good civic-mindedness, we can prevent open burning that contributes to bushfires,” he added.
Five years ago, Lee’s ministry had used various types of approaches and methods in tackling open burning, including deploying a Bombardier plane to fight bushfires in Senadin and Tudan.
Meanwhile, Lee also lauded the camp which is in its eighth edition this year, as it helps instil a safety culture within the community.
At the closing of the Summer Camp, Lee also launched the rebranding of the programme which will now be known as “Kita Selamat Kita Jaga Kita”.
Also present were PCSB-Sarawak Asset Senior General Manager, Ruslan Abdul Ghani, Bomba Malaysia director-general Dato Sri Mohammad Hamdan Wahid, Sarawak Bomba director Datu Khirudin Drahman and Miri Bomba chief Supt Law Poh Kiong. — DayakDaily
