KUCHING: The Deputy Premier of Sarawak will meet the Federal Minister of Local Government Development Nga Kor Ming soon to discuss funding for the Sarawak Fire and Rescue Department (Bomba).
Datuk Seri Dr Sim Kui Hian, who is also the Minister of Public Health, Local Government and Housing said this after launching the first Bomba Community Learning Centre (CLC) in Sarawak at Batu Lintang fire station yesterday.
He claimed that despite lacking sufficient funding, the department was still able to go above and beyond the call of duty to organise community fire safety and prevention programmes.
“We will help the department here to fight for the funding from the federal government because they have so many requests for funding.
“Because one of the struggles by Sarawak Bomba, is to have enough funds to maintain the fire stations, equipment and assets as well as community programmes.
“Therefore, I will find time to catch up with the new Housing Minister to discuss on the share of funding to Bomba,” he said.
Meanwhile, on the CLC, Sim said it is an important initiative by Bomba Sarawak and Yayasan Farley which focuses on educating the young generation regarding fire prevention and safety programmes.
He said the children are not only having fun but they also get to learn about the things to do during a fire and so on.
He congratulated Bomba for taking the initiative to get the community involved and to educate the community as young as possible.
“I think that it is so much easier to teach the young and they will go back home to teach their parents.
“Whenever a fire occurs, it is everyone’s responsibility and the community needs to take responsibility to put out the fire instead of finger-pointing or politicising the incident,” he said.
The centre will benefit seven primary schools involving 3,000 pupils, 200 teachers and 100 support staff on the importance of fire prevention and safety.
Other than that, the centre located at Batu Lintang fire station, is said to be able to accommodate 80 to 100 pupils at once.
Also present at the event were Sarawak Bomba director Datuk Khirudin Drahman and Yayasan Farley president Eijing Lau.
