All safety concerns in SCV addressed long ago — GM

KUCHING: Sarawak Cultural Village (SCV) yesterday clarified that all facilities that were found to be lacking in safety as stipulated in the AuditorGeneral's (AG) Report had already been repaired.

Its general manager Jane Lian Labang said the repair and clearing works were completed last December, adding the information in the AG Report were not the latest ones as they were gathered last November.

“We have already started the 2014 Preventive Maintenance Schedule and Daily Corrective Maintenance Action by our Safety and Health Officer,” she told reporters yesterday.

We have already started the 2014 Preventive Maintenance Schedule and Daily Corrective Maintenance Action by our Safety and Health Officer. Jane Lian Labang, Sarawak Cultural Village General Manager

Jane was asked to explain the findings in the first series of the AG Report 2013, which highlighted that several facilities at SCV were lacking in safety.

The Report pointed out that a couple of wall structures, flooring, fencing, stairs, bridges and roofing at the tourist centre had been damaged and thus, might not be safe for visitors.

The Report also noted that the state government, through PPES, had granted RM174,000 in 2010 and RM400,000 in 2011 and 2012 as maintenance funds for SCV.

On the funds given to SCV, Jane clarified that the RM400,000 grant by the state government was not only confined to maintenance, but also for the operation of SCV

“The operation cost for SCV is RM6 million a year and the grant of RM400,000 is only six per cent (of the operation cost) and for another 94 per cent SCV has to look for it on its own.

“Meaning to say, the village is self sustaining. Funding in terms of daily maintenance, utility and staff salary come under the RM6 million expenditure.”

Jane said the state government grants were also allocated for the maintenance of traditional costumes and instruments that were used for performance every day. “The costumes and musical instruments are used every day. The cultural shows are held every day so we have to allocate some of the funds for the maintenance of costumes and traditional instruments.”

Jane stated that to fund the operation of SCV, the management would have to depend on other revenues such as from entrance tickets, venue rental for events corporate parties held at SCV.

On a related development, she said all the log books at SCV were all updated until January 2014.