Sarawak: Deputy Minister for Public Health, Housing and Local Government Datuk Michael Tiang Ming Tee urged all relevant authorities to act swiftly and proactively to prevent a repeat of the tragedy in which a two-year-old boy died after falling into an open manhole in Sibu on Monday. He said the incident, which took place at Jalan Wong Soon Kai, highlights a long-standing public safety issue involving missing or unsecured manhole covers.

According to BERNAMA News Agency, Tiang expressed his condolences in a statement, emphasizing the need for immediate action regardless of whether the infrastructure falls under the jurisdiction of local councils or federal agencies such as the Public Works Department (JKR). He strongly urged relevant authorities, including the Sibu Municipal Council, JKR, and the Department of Irrigation and Drainage (DID), to conduct thorough surveys and inspections of their respective areas to identify and replace any missing or damaged manhole covers without delay.

Tiang added that he had personally contacted the Sibu Municipal Council chairman, JKR Sibu divisional engineer, and Sibu DID engineers to seek urgent and coordinated action in addressing the matter. He stressed that public safety must never be compromised and called on the Royal Malaysia Police to take stern action against those involved in the theft and illegal trade of scrap metals, which often include manhole covers.

The minister underscored the incident as a painful reminder of the collective responsibility to ensure towns and cities are safe for all residents, especially young children. He urged for this to be a turning point to strengthen vigilance and improve coordination among all stakeholders to prevent such tragedies from happening again.