Rep: Tebedu needs fire station after village blaze

KUCHING (Feb 19): There is an urgent need for a Fire and Rescue Department (Bomba) station in Tebedu to ensure faster emergency response, following a fire on Wednesday that affected three houses in a village in the area, said Tebedu assemblyman Dr Simon Sinang Bada.

He said the incident — the first of its kind recorded in the district in a decade — highlighted the importance of having a local fire station, especially as Tebedu develops into a new economic hub.

Plans for a Tebedu fire station had been approved under the 11th and 12th Malaysia Plans but have yet to be realised, he noted.

“The absence of a Bomba station not only increases risk for the local community but could also affect investor confidence in the area.

“I will raise the matter with Sarawak’s top leaders and relevant ministries to expedite the project to build the Bomba station,” he said after visiting the fire victims at Kampung Entubuh, accompanied by Tebedu District officer Gerard George Entiga, to assess their situation and deliver initial aid.

In the Wednesday evening blaze, one house was completely destroyed, while two others sustained damage estimated at between 10 and 20 per cent.

Dr Sinang said the government is committed to supporting affected families, with the Serian Disaster Management Committee and Tebedu District Office assisting in rebuilding homes under the Fire Disaster Aid programme.

The Serian branch of the Social Welfare Department also provided dry food, bedding and building materials to the families.