KUCHING (Aug 25): Penambang boat operators here have been reminded to put safety first and ensure all passengers wear life vests.
Sarawak Minister of Transport Dato Sri Lee Kim Shin made this call when presenting the Bantuan Khas Sarawakku Sayang (BKSS 8.0) to 66 registered penambang boats at the Bako Terminal yesterday.
“When carrying tourists from the terminal to the Bako National Park, make sure that each and every of them wears a life vest and complies to the Covid-19 standard operating procedures such as wearing a face mask,” Lee reminded the boat operators.
“It is not only a rule set by the Sarawak Rivers Board, but also for the safety of passengers and operators alike,” he added.
The sixty-six recipients were among the 199 penambang boat operators registered with the Sarawak Rivers Board throughout the state.
The aid which involved total expenditure of RM99,500 is to ease the financial burden of the ‘penambangs’ who suffered loss of income due to the drastic drop in number of customers, including tourists during the Movement Control Order (MCO) and Conditional Movement Control Order (CMCO).
“The ministry and Sarawak Rivers Board will continue to monitor the situation and development of water transportation services in the state during this period of Phase 4 National Recovery Plan,” said Lee.
Meanwhile, he noted that the RM1 flat rate bus fare for the whole of Sarawak and applicable to everyone including foreigners, will be continued and not be increased during the endemic stage.
“This is one of the ways for the state government to encourage people to use public transportation,” he pointed out.
Deputy Minister of Energy and Environmental Sustainability, who is also Demak Laut assemblyman, Dr Hazland Abang Hipni also presented RM10,000 to the Persatuan Bot Penambang Taman Negara Bako during the event.
According to Hazland, registered tourists at the Bako Terminal were recorded at 65,000 in 2019, and the figure had dropped drastically due to the Covid-19 pandemic outbreak.
Also present at the event was Deputy Transport Minister II Dato Henry Harry Jinep.
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