The tragic death of a two-year-old child who fell into an uncovered manhole at Pusat Tanahwang, Jalan Dr Wong Soon Kai, should serve as a wake-up call for all relevant authorities.
Former Bukit Assek assemblywoman Irene Chang Oi Ling said the incident must prompt immediate and thorough inspection of manholes in not only the Tanahwang area but across Sibu.
“The authorities must implement anti-theft measures and explore the use of alternative materials for manhole covers to prevent recurring thefts.
“All necessary steps must be taken to ensure such a tragedy never happens again,” she said in a statement today (Aug 6).
Chang, a lawyer, said individuals who remove iron manhole covers or other public infrastructure for scrap must realise that such actions endanger lives.
“It is crucial that those responsible are held accountable and face appropriate legal consequences to deter such offences in the future,” she added.
She stressed that public safety, especially that of children, must never be compromised by negligence or greed.
“The life of a child is too high a price to pay for incompetence or selfish gain,” she said.
Reports revealed that the manhole had been left uncovered for a long time before the incident, with five other uncovered manholes found along the same 50-metre stretch.
“Physical barriers or warning signs should have been put up to avert incidents such as the recent tragedy pending replacement of these covers.
“This tragedy could have been prevented had the relevant authorities conducted timely inspections and warned the public of the hazard,” said Chang.
