STAR Sarawak wants safety and health reports for S’wak schools
KUCHING: The State Reform Party (STAR) Sarawak has called for workplace health and safety information for all schools in Sarawak to be released.
STAR Sarawak president Lina Soo questioned what the Ministry of Education is doing when many school buildings in Sarawak are not fit for use.
“Any hazard must be identified to prevent any occurrence of fire in future. STAR shares the loss and pain of the families affected by the tragedy,” she told a press conference yesterday in connection with the death of teacher Catherine Janet Tiwi in a fire at SK Batu Bungan in Mulu on Wednesday.
Soo said STAR Sarawak is “sad and angry” over the tragedy and demanded the ministry investigate why the fire took such a young life.
“It could have been prevented. There is no reason at all why Catherine had to suffer for it. All the schools must be repaired immediately.
“All fire preventive measures must be put in place. Some people say it’s an accident, but such accidents should not be allowed to happen,” she stressed.
Soo said the ministry must take the necessary steps to ensure such an incident never occur again.
“The Education Ministry must act swiftly to identify the cause and implement high standards of school fire prevention and firefighting systems to safeguard the lives of the students and teachers. Pictures of schools and hostels showing their dilapidated state in condition not fit for occupation is common sight in Sarawak, and schools must be repaired immediately,” she said.
Among those present at the press conference were STAR chairman Buln Ribos, vice-president Mesah Suhaili, and assistant secretary Albert Voon.
The group observed a minute of silence for Catherine, who died trying to save two of her colleagues from the fire that engulfed two teachers’ quarters.