Lee wants more campaigns about staying safe near water spots

PUTRAJAYA: Parents, teachers and local authorities have been urged to pay heed to the safety of students, especially with the start of the school holidays.

Member of the Water Activity Safety Council (WASC) under the Urban Wellbeing, Housing and Local Government Ministry, Tan Sri Lee Lam Thye, said stakeholders needed to be made aware of safety to prevent more drowning deaths involving students.

“The students themselves must always be concerned of their safety when taking part in outdoor activities, particularly those which involve bodies of water.

“Let’s do something about drowning deaths and not allow its number to increase every year like what we are experiencing with road crashes,” he said.

According to the Fire and Rescue Department statistics, 700 Malaysians die of drowning every year.

He urged schools and Parent-Teacher Associations, and relevant authorities to conduct more safety campaigns before the start of school holidays to educate children about the dangers at drains, rivers, ponds, beaches and waterfalls.

WASC was established in May last year following the increase in the number of drowning cases in the country either at sea, disused mining ponds, rivers, waterfalls and hotel swimming pools.

It coordinates the activities, campaigns and training related to water safety by the relevant agencies, private sector and non-governmental organisations to reduce accidents at water bodies and lessen negligence, indifference and failure to comply with rules, warnings and safety signages.

Hospital Raja Permaisuri Bainun Ipoh senior consultant paediatrician Datuk Dr Amar Singh said most drowning deaths involving children was due to them trying to save their friends. He said drowning was the second most common cause of death of those between one and 18 years old.