Sarawak's Worst Boat Tragedy in The Milleneum But Recieved No Sympathy From Both Sarawak and Malaysia Ministers Especially From Jabu, Masing and William Mawan!

Kuching
Wednesday, 20th October 2010

Tatau Boat Tragedy is the worst River Tragedy in the new millennium. But despite this fact, it has received no Sympathy from Sarawak Ministers especially the Iban Ministers. But Where were all the Ministers?

The survivors and Family Members of the victims of the boat tragedy were left by themselves without  proper assistance or show of face by the Iban's Ministers and PKR potential candidate in the area.

As the saying in Bahasa Malaysia goes : "Berat Mata Memandang Berat Lagi Bahu Memikul or a literal translation of the English idiom ‘putting yourself in another man’s shoes’ , is the best way how to describe the trauma faced by the survivors and the family members of the victims of the boat tragedy in Tatau.

The tragedy which occurred at about 2.00pm on Black Friday the 15th Oct 2010 so far has claimed six (6) lives whereas another five(5) were still missing, is the worst river tragedy in the new millennium. But despite the fact, as of when this article is written, no ministers had came  to Tatau to comfort the survivors or the family members of the passengers taht were confirmed died or still missing.

Where Are Jabu, Mawan  and James Masing

I have been following the news in the newspapers  and national television channels but the shadows of the most vocal Iban's Ministers Tan Sri Jabu, Dato William Mawan  and Dato Seri James Jemut Masing were nowhere to be heard or seen. Tatau is an Iban majority area. No matter who represents the area, being the most seniors Iban's ministers in Taib Cabinet, these three Ministers should be there at least to comfort or to give appropriate assistance to the victims or their family members.

Besides no show faces by the BN ministers, the visit by Paul Raja from PKR who only came to the scene just  to condemn BN government and without offer any assistance had made the matter worse. PKR should cease this opportunity by offering assistance in a form of  financial  or morale support. By doing so, such can change the "pembangkang" or  " perintah" mentality by the voters in Tatau. 

So the Coward Ministers Only Vocal When Their Bosses Under Threat

Based on what happening in Tatau boat tragedy, it is obvious that these three Iban's Ministers Alfred Jabu, William Mawan and James Masing only know how to please their bosses. If in defending their bosses, these three ministers will be all out even to the extend of betraying their own races or dignity.

James Masing when asked about cronyism in Sarawak during the  interviewed with Al-Jazeera on 20th March 2009, had denied such accusation just to please his boss. 

Alfred Jabu  who is in charge of Penan affairs, in September 2009 had  questioned the credibility of the government report on the rape of Penan women by the timber companies. His main intention was to please his boss.

William Mawan so far has not too obvious defending his boss. But the way how he handled the SDPD five saga,  where its five elected representatives comprised of  Sylvester Enteri (state assemblyman for Marudi), Peter Nansian (state assemblyman for Tasik Biru), Rosey Yunus (state assemblywoman for Bekenu), Paulus Gumbang (state assemblyman for Batu Danau) and Dr. Tiki Lafe (MP for Mas Gading) had wanted to leave SPDP and joined PRS. He was stopped from sacking the 5 YBs after being advised not to do so by Taib. If not because of Taib Mahmud, he had already sacked the five YBs.

Jabu, Masing and William Mawan : Their True Colors Prevail

Three Yes Men Who had Never Shown-Up when their People In Tatau Needed Them!

Since Saturday until now, everytime I read the news about the boat tragedy and upon learned that none Iban's Ministers had came forward to comfort or gave morale support to the survivors and family members of the victims who perished in the tragedy, I felt so angry.

I was so angry at Jabu, Mawan and Masing because they are the most senior Iban's ministers in state cabinet. Where were they? For me they are not fit to be our leaders. The three of them should resign voluntarily before being kick out in the coming state election.

The three ministers should learn from their friends in the peninsular. Irrespective of their parties, the YBs in the Peninsular will visit  the victims during the calamity. They will visit the area and give assistance in form of finacial or comfort to the victims.

Their absent from Tatau had openly revealing their true colors..

To the voters in Tatau please be wised when exercising your right .......


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Sg Kakus Tatau Boat Tragedy

Kuching, Sarawak
Tuesday, 19th October 2010

Four express boat passengers died while at least 20 were still missing after the boat which ferried around 30 people sank at Sungai Kakus, in Ulu Tatau.
The incident occurred around 2.30pm when the boat was negotiating a bend in the river, near Kelebu timber camp, around 50 kilometres from here.

The boat was said to have rammed onto a steel cable that a tug boat uses to tow a barge. Only seven passengers including the skipper and a crew member managed to save themselves, said Tatau District Police Chief DSP Zaizodin Wan Jaafar.

Three adult bodies were found around 8pm while the body of a five-month old toddler was found floating on the river a few minutes later, he added.

As at 9pm yesterday, the fate of the missing persons was still not known.

The search and rescue team believed the river current might have swept them somewhere else. The current was also swift, said Zaizodin. Zaizodin said the express boat departed Tatau around 1.30pm and was heading towards Hulu Kakus.

A passenger who survived the ordeal Silo Gerenang, 58, said the express boat was stuck on the steel cable.

“The skipper failed to avoid ramming the steel cable which then got tangled up with our boat. Our boat then sank. I was fortunate because I was sitting near the window and managed to escape,” he said.

Silo, who resides at the Police barrack at Nanga Rungan, Kakus regretted that he could not save other passengers because the incident happened too fast.

Ebie Biju, 35, who was sitting at the front part of the boat, believed that the accident could have been avoided.

Hailing from Rumah Jimbai Kakus, he had been shopping at Tatau Town and thanked God for being alive.

“Luckily my other family members were not with me in the boat,” he said.

“I heard other passengers screaming in panic. In a matter of moments, the boat sank,” he recalled.

The crew member, who survived, Sim Chi Liang said he was full of regret because he could not save the life of passengers or those who drifted away.

“I immediately jumped out through the window. I could not do anything,” he said. Apart from the police and civil defence and rescue team, several camp workers were also helping in the search and rescue of passengers.

“Camp workers also rushed to the scene to assist in the search and rescue operation,” said timber manager Kiu Siong Hock.

The work to fully retrieve the express boat started around 6pm. A crane and tug boat were used to pull the boat to the surface.

Although the work to salvage the boat ended around 8.30pm the search and rescue operation will continue today.

When met at Bintulu Hospital, Assistant Minister of Development and Communication DatuK Lee Kim Shin said Sarawak Rivers Board would probe the incident thoroughly.

“No stone will be unturned,” he said.

Lee, also Senadin assemblyman, believed the search and rescue team would do its best to search for the missing persons.

Survivor Recalls On Tragedy

Sylvia, 21, looked like a spent force, but otherwise healthy when met at the hospital bed late yesterday.

She said she was probably in the water for 10 minutes, struggling to keep herself afloat, before some strong hands pulled her out of the water.

Recounting her experience, Sylvia said she travelled alone from Kakus to Tatau for some grocery.

“After having bought all I needed to buy, I took the 1.30pm boat along with about 30 others who included some children.

“I thought nothing of the worst. It was like any other journey I had made along the river.

“In fact, when the accident happened, it was just too fast. All I knew was the boat suddenly tilted over.

“And then there was water and darkness. I fought to keep afloat but the water was sucking me in.

“I went under several times. It was probably 10 minutes and I was frantically trying to get hold of something. My eyes were open but I couldn’t remember seeing anything.

“Then as if by miracle strong hands were pulling me out of the water. I wonder if I had had the strength to keep myself afloat if the rescuers had come a little later.”

Sylvia soon found out that the rescuers were timber camp workers.

Once on dry ground, the first thing a tearful Sylvia spoke of wanting to see her mother.

Jackson Ujik, meanwhile, said he was with his wife and daughter, sitting at the front portion of the boat when he saw the boat going out of control.

“The boat just swayed to one side and the next thing was it simply turned over,” he said, adding that just as it was flipping over he grabbed at the hands of his wife and one-year-old daughter and jumped.

He said that was all he could remember because the next few minutes all he could think of was not to let go the two hands he was holding.

“Then I saw the boat (rescuers’ tugboat) and used all the strength I could muster to reach it. Thank God we’re alive,” Jackson said.

Taken From Borneo Post Online

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