Better safety features needed at ferry jetties – villager

A four-wheel-drive had rolled off the Triso ferry point platform and plunged into the Batang Lupar river on Friday, killing all nine people in the vehicle. – File photo

SRI AMAN (Jan 4): The authorities have been urged to improve safety features at ferry landing points in Sarawak to prevent a recurrence of the Triso jetty tragedy here.

A villager of Kampung Meludam, Awang Khalid Awang Kamarudin, said there should be proper control of passenger and vehicular traffic when the ferry service is in operation.

“The safety of users is very important. After a tragedy had claimed so many lives, we should be taking the appropriate measures for the sake of public safety,” he told Bernama today.

A four-wheel-drive had rolled off the Triso ferry point platform and plunged into the Batang Lupar river on Friday, killing all nine people in the vehicle.

He suggested that a barrier be placed to ensure an orderly movement of vehicles and passengers when boarding or exiting a ferry.

According to Awang Khalid, things had been disorganised, leading to confusion among passengers as they did not know whose instruction to follow.

“If there are guards, users especially drivers would know when to move. We need to take instruction from guards.

“There had been a lack of control and we only started taking action after a major accident like this. The safety features should have been there long ago,” he added.

He also asked that the elderly, sick people and children be given exemption to remain inside a vehicle when it is entering the ferry.

According to the standard operating procedure, passengers are to alight from the vehicle before it is driven into the ferry.

“If they have to enter the ferry on foot, there must be guard rails along the ramp to prevent people and vehicles from falling into the river in emergencies,” he said.

Meanwhile, Ratie Chang, 19, from Kuching said apart from building railings on the platform, the ferry operator should also provide facilities that are friendly to persons with disabilities. – Bernama

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