The scandal of the longhouse fire at Sg. Asap in Taib controlled Sarawak is just one more instance of the utter indifference towards the native people of the State by the State government, controlled by the Malay/Melanau minority community.

If you are unfortunate enough to live in a rural area of the State do not expect emergency services of any kind to operate efficiently in your time of need. This lamentable fact was underlined yet again by the fire at the Sg.Asap resettlement area. This, supposedly, modern development was equipped with hydrants and hoses. The only problem. They did not fit and so were useless when a major fire broke out.

It is reported that the fire authorities had installed the fire prevention system and so must have known it did not and could not work.If that report is correct in any way a full investigation, both by the PDRM and the MACC, should discover who is responsible and should therefore prosecuted. It is fortunate that no one died in this incident but that is down to luck rather than State government action.

It has to be left to the relevant enquiries to determine who was responsible but the State administration must bear the ultimate responsibility and heads must roll.