Bridge crossing made safer
SMK Tamparuli students create device to warn public of floods
KOTA KINABALU: A group of 20 students in Tamparuli have made the journey across the low-lying bridge near their school safer with their own flood warning sensors.
Using their ingenuity and raising about RM30,000, the SMK Tamparuli students created the device to warn pedestrians and motorists when the Tamparuli bridge is unsafe due to floods.
The sensors installed on both sides of the bridge, which is some 40km from the state capital, automatically detect rising water level and activate a flashing LED signboard that says “Awas! Banjir di hadapan” (Caution! Floods ahead).
The sensors are connected to the nearest police station where the personnel on duty will receive an alert.
The authorities will then take the necessary action, including closing down the section of the flooded road to prevent people from being stuck or washed away by the currents.
SMK Tamparuli principal Kusdi Ribut said the students came up with the idea for the Petronas All About Youth Programme (Petronas AAY) about three months ago.
Following their win at the recent Petronas Science show, they were given start-up money of RM2,000 after being chosen as one of 15 schools in the state to compete for the finals of Petronas AAY, and they came up with this idea, Kusdi said.
He said that although such sensors had been around in the market for a long time, it was still a challenge for students and teachers to make one.
Kusdi said the programme was a corporate social responsibility-based competition to nurture talent and leadership among students to create an innovative project for their community in the areas of education, community well-being or environment.
The project cost about RM30,000, which was raised through charity events such as fund-raising concerts, garage sales and sports tournaments.
Discarded cans and papers were collected to be sold as recyclable items.
The students, teachers and parents had also chipped in to fund the project, Kusdi said, adding that technicians and contractors were hired to install the system.
He said teachers as well as the community supported the project because people often crossed the bridge even when water had risen over it.
The same happened at night and such conditions were extremely dangerous.
Now that Tamparuli has this system, motorists do not have to worry about accidentally driving through water or getting stuck when there is a flood, Kusdi said.
The students will represent Sabah in the Petronas AAY national finale in Kuala Lumpur in September if they win at the state level.