27 requests for Mosquito Magnet traps
SIBU: The United People’s Party (UPP) Community Service Board Sibu has received 27 requests for Mosquito Magnet traps.
Chairman Datuk Andrew Wong said this follows positive results from a pilot project in six schools.
“At the moment, 23 schools and four community parks have responded that they want this machine. We would proceed with this request first and follow up on the rest after Chinese New Year to assess their response.
“We have already placed the order as the machines are imported from USA and will take about two months to reach here. Each machine costs between RM8,000 and RM9,000. The reason it is so expensive is because it is purely for outdoor use. The indoor model on the other hand, is much cheaper,” he told reporters at the Rancangan Sibu 1 (RS1) mobile service counter in Kampung Jeriah yesterday.
He explained that all the machines placed at the six pilot project schools were removed during the school holidays.
“We are all going on a six-month basis, where we assess the situation after six months. If the number of Aedes mosquitoes being caught is still above a certain level, then we will still maintain the machine there.
“However, if the number of Aedes mosquitoes is lower than 0.5 per cent for two consecutive months, then we will remove it and place it somewhere else.”
Wong said the machines may be moved to other places which need them such as residential areas.
A total of RM750,000 has been allocated under RS1 for the placement of Mosquito Magnet traps in public schools and community parks to combat dengue. Meanwhile, Wong said most of the complaints received by the RS1 mobile service counter related to basic infrastructure such as roads and drainage.
“We are channelling them to three different sources – JKR (Public Works Department), SMC (Sibu Municipal Council) and Talikhidmat – that is how we are channelling the complaints at the moment.
For requests we recieve during the earlier weeks, some had been acted on while some are still waiting for action from the relevant authorities,” he said.
Today (Jan 14), the RS1 mobile service counter will be at Belatok Road Commercial Centre from 9am till noon, while on Jan 20 it will be at the Delta Swimming Pool Commercial Centre in front of Happiness Café, and on Jan 21 at Kampung Bahagia Jaya.