Kota Kinabalu: Warisan President Datuk Seri Mohd Shafie Apdal has suggested that authorities consider using seawater to fight major fires after a blaze at Kampung Bahagia in Batu Sapi, Sandakan, razed a thousand homes and burned for more than 45 hours.
“Inadequate water supply had hampered firefighting efforts at the village, which sits near the sea.
“We are made to understand that they got water from the IOI Company and even that was not enough,” he told a media conference after a Warisan Supreme Council meeting and a session with 25 party lawmakers.
“Why not use seawater to ensure the agencies responsible have the capacity to obtain water and put out the fire? Singapore can even convert seawater into drinking water. We do not need to convert it. We just want to use it to fight the fire,” he said.
Shafie said the fire was brought under control only at around 8am the following morning after burning through the night.
He sympathised with the affected community and urged a more coordinated disaster response from both Federal and State agencies.
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“I raised this in Parliament two or three years ago, urging the government at all levels to adopt a well-organised response to deal with climate change events, not just floods but also fires,” he said.
Citing his tenure as a former Deputy Defence Minister, Shafie pointed to a military humanitarian programme called Jiwa Murni as a model for mobilising government assets during non-combat situations.
He noted that during floods in Penampang, the army camp in the area had been activated to assist residents.
“Whether it is a broken bridge or a house that has burnt down, we help the community,” he said.
“We use whatever government facilities are available, whether Federal or State.”
