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With the increase in traffic volume at the Pan Borneo Highway, where roads accidents are becoming frequent

 


Media Statement

by Chiew Chin Sing


(Sarawak, Tuesday): The Sarawak State Assemblyman for Kidurong Chiew Chin Sing said that with the increase in traffic volume at the Pan Borneo Highway, where roads accidents are becoming frequent, it is important that highway emergency services be stepped up. 

It is detrimental that there is always enough ambulances around and  manned  with  medical personnel, so that they could react to emergencies  at the very first instance.

 

That is why clinics like those in Tatau  should be equipped fully to deal with highway and emergency cases, 24/7, and with full time doctors.

 

I do not see any reason why clinics are not having any resident doctors. Sarawak is different, we should have full time doctors at the clinic, because if we only have doctors in the hospitals of major towns, then the immediate needs, arising from an emergency, requiring  the expertise of  the doctors, could only available at quite a distance away in the town hospital. Unlike in West Malaysia, hospitals are everywhere and the availability of doctors close by are much easier than here.

 

As such there could even be emergency helicopter services to help with emergency cases happening along the Pan Borneo highways or other distance places, as transportation in Sarawak is still very much back ward as compared to that in West Malaysia.

 

Chiew was referring to an accident which had occurred at 185 km Sibu-Bintulu at the Pan Borneo highway, where three friends, who saw first hand an accident, had called the police in Sibu repeatedly for help but no policeman or ambulance showed up.

 

It was not until one and half hours later, when one of the 3 guys who had gone to the Tatau clinic to ask for an ambulance, but was told that the ambulance had broken down and that he should go to the  Police Station and ask the police for  help. But, by then the other two guys who had understood  that no one is coming, sent the victims off to the Tatau clinic themselves.

 

The three had called a press conference with Chiew in Bintulu, where Chiew expressed regrets over the poor response of the authorities.

 

‘If there were no ambulance or if the ambulance had broken down then just let the people know so that those trying to help can do something about it instead of empty waiting. It is unbelievable that there is no ambulance around . If an ambulance had broken down, a back-up should be brought in immediately.’

 

He also said that although the 3 Samaritans had done all they possibly could under the circumstances- which is a good thing- but we must remember that ordinary members of the public are not trained to handle dead or injured accident victims.


(10/10/2006)


*Chiew Chin Sing, Chairman DAP Bintulu Branch,DAP Sarawak Deputy Chairman and Sarawak State Assemblyman for Kidurong

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