Need to address below par emergency response at Sg Tujuh ICQS

Vehicles queuing up at the Sungai Tujuh ICQS.

MIRI (Dec 10): The below par emergency response leading to the death of a heart patient from Lawas at the border after the closing hours of Sungai Tujuh Immigration, Customs and Quarantine station (ICQS) must be addressed, say politicians from both sides of the political divide.

Minister of Transport Dato Sri Lee Kim Shin said it is imperative that the SOPs governing CIQS should also take into account extenuating circumstances and emergencies while mindful of the existing regulations.

“It is vital that ambulances can go through the state after closing hours,” he said when contacted yesterday.

An elderly aunt of a pastor from Lawas passed away at 1.30am Tuesday in an ambulance outside the closed gate of the ICQS as the officer took home the key and failed to turn up during the emergency.

The ambulance from Lawas has permits to pass through Brunei despite the border closing at 10pm but it was ironically prevented from entering Miri due to the locked gates at the ICQS, about half an hour away from Miri Hospital.

The patient died at the scene, and after waiting for over an hour the gate was eventually forced open with the help of several Rela personnel. The ambulance only reached the hospital about 3am.

Miri MP Chiew Choon Man concurred with Lee and called on the authorities to review the SOP and take into account emergency response requirements as the ICQS is the entry point between Brunei and Miri.

“Although the gate is closed after certain period fixed by the authority, it doesn’t mean that the gate should be left unattended as reported. There ought to be another group of people specifically tasked with emergency response,” he said.

He also wanted to find out whether the management of the gate was undertaken by the relevant government department or through a third party security company, and the standard operating procedure for emergency cases after the gate is closed.

Immigration Department director Dato Ken Leben Thursday said an inquiry committee had been formed to investigate the incident.

Expressing regret over the unfortunate incident, he said it would be premature to make any conclusion at this junction, saying they were looking forward to further collaboration with the Ministry of Health to ensure better coordination in handling any emergency cases after the operating hours at entry points.

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