By DayakDaily Team
KUCHING, Aug 7: The Kuching South City Council (MBKS) has issued an urgent call to relevant utility providers, including Telekom Malaysia, Sarawak Energy, and the Department of Irrigation and Drainage (DID) Sarawak, to immediately inspect and replace all missing or damaged manhole covers under their jurisdictions, warning that delays could lead to further tragedies.
This comes in the wake of a heartbreaking incident in Sibu, where a two-year-old child tragically lost his life after falling into an uncovered sewer manhole at Jalan Dr Wong Soon Kai on Wednesday (Aug 6).
MBKS said it had recently conducted ground inspections that uncovered a worrying number of open or missing manhole covers in Kuching South, many of which fall under the responsibility of utility agencies including Telekom Malaysia, Sarawak Energy, DID Sarawak, the Kuching Water Board (KWB), and others.
Mayor of Kuching South, Dato Wee Hong Seng, voiced serious concern over the issue, emphasising that uncovered manholes pose a grave danger to pedestrians, cyclists, and motorists.
“Public safety is our top priority. We cannot afford to wait until another unfortunate incident occurs. I trust the relevant agencies will act promptly and responsibly,” he said in a statement today.
MBKS has formally written to Telekom Malaysia, Sarawak Energy, and the DID Sarawak, urging them to immediately inspect and replace all missing or damaged manhole covers under their respective purview.
While MBKS continues to maintain and monitor manholes within its jurisdiction, the Council stressed that the scope of the issue extends far beyond its purview and requires immediate, coordinated intervention from all responsible parties to prevent accidents and ensure public safety.
“MBKS will continue its routine inspections and urges the public to report any open or damaged manholes through the Talikhidmat or iPeople app, or by contacting the Council directly.
“Let’s work together to ensure Kuching remains a safe city for all,” added Wee. — DayakDaily
