Jalan Pahlawan shophouse collapse classified as natural disaster, says Dr Sim

SIBU (Feb 27): The recent collapse of a shophouse at Jalan Pahlawan here has been classified as a natural disaster and placed under the purview of the State Disaster Management Committee (SDMC), said Deputy Premier Datuk Amar Dr Sim Kui Hian.

“It’s classified as a natural disaster because nobody foresaw this, and it can happen anywhere. It can be in any peat area, not just this area.

“And yesterday, (Sarawak Deputy Minister of Public Health, Housing and Local Government) YB Datuk Michael (Tiang) briefed the Cabinet, and our Premier (Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg) has decided it should be under the SDMC,” Dr Sim told reporters during a briefing by the Minerals and Geoscience Department (JMG) Sarawak director Jaithish John near the site on Friday.

He added that although the SDMC operates at the state level, it will coordinate closely with the divisional disaster management committee on the matter.

“SDMC is a state (level body), but then at divisional level, it’s a divisional SDMC. And that’s why you have the Resident, and they will need to coordinate everything,” Dr Sim added.

“The cabinet basically has agreed that under them, we will investigate all the reasons,” he said, adding that appropriate specialists are needed to look into this matter.

“We will need the appropriate specialists to understand what’s happening because it has a bigger implications, and then we can see what else we can do,” he explained.

In the early hours of Feb 13, the corner unit of a row of shophouses along Jalan Pahlawan collapsed onto the road, affecting eight units in the same block.

Among those present at the briefing were Bukit Assek assemblyman Joseph Chieng, Senator Robert Lau, Sibu Resident Abang Mohamad Porkan Abang Budiman, and Sibu Municipal Council (SMC) chairman Clarence Ting.

Meanwhile, Dr Sim accompanied by his wife Datin Amar Enn Ong, paid a Lunar Year Visit to the residence of Temenggong Dato Vincent Lau, Chieng, and Tiang.