KUCHING, March 15: The management of MJC Batu Kawah New Township and Padawan Municipal Council (MPP) have been urged to inspect cement drain covers in the area after a man fell into a drain and sustained injuries.
According to Raymond Thong of Parti Bumi Kenyalang (PBK), the man was coming out of his parked car to go to his shophouse apartment when he stepped on a cement drain cover which broke.
“This incident happened right in front of me. He groaned in pain and suffered scratches and bruises on his right leg. It was a blessing in disguise that there was no heavy bleeding.
“I offered to help him to stand up, but he said he would like to sit for a while to allow the pain to subside,” he said.
However, he added that it was fortunate it happened to a young man and not a senior citizen.
“Had this happened to a senior citizen, they might have suffered a broken leg due to brittle bones or injuries that might cost their life.
“Therefore, the management of this township and MPP should carry out inspections on the cement drain covers before more serious injuries or even deaths happen,” he said.
He explained that MJC Batu Kawah New Township was established in 1997 and that over the years, most of the drain covers along the shops there have suffered severe wear and tear without proper maintenance.
He added that MPP also needed to play its role by looking into the condition of the public amenities under its jurisdiction.
At the same time, he also Kuching South City Council (MBKS) and Kuching North City Commission (DBKU) to do the same.
“A life lost is one life too many. Every effort should be carried out to ensure all public amenities are safe. Don’t wait until serious injuries or loss of lives occur before we start to look into them.” — DayakDaily
