PLEASE RELOCATE KK MARINE POLICE JETTY

THE MARINE police jetty in the KK water front is squashed in between the new Suria Sabah Complex and the Jesselton Residency Apartment site seems to be in need of moving to a better, bigger location and further away from the KK water front. The KK people said the present location is no longer suitable for the purpose and further more it is creating congestion here.

The KK MP Hiew King Cheu after receiving request from the general public had brought the matter up in Parliament recently and he asked the Ministry of Home Affairs concerning the possibility on moving the Marine Police jetty to a more conducive location else where.

The Ministry of Home Affair gave a reply saying that the KK Marine Police jetty is indeed situated between shopping complexes and 28-storey residential apartments. By judging on the development here, it is no doubt that the marine police jetty has to be moved to a better location else where. Anyhow, the idea of moving away from the present location is affected by the following factors like:-

(1) This Marine Police jetty has the function to provide security and protection to the government administration facilities, the Sepanggar and KK Port, the petroleum depot, and including the island with National Parks.

(2) The jetty also is taking care on the various aspects of criminal offences along the coast line. At the same time, it is providing a kind of psychological effect on the area, so that the criminals will not be active.

(3) With the jetty here, the accident due to the collision of boats will be much reduced. The enforcement here will make sure the passenger boats following the rule that life jackets to be worn, and other offences on the sea will be reduced especially the overloading of passengers.

(4) On the economy aspect, this jetty also serves to provide protection to the tourism industry by the present of the Marine Police.

Based on the reply by the Ministry, the various reasons are correct and fine, but the main reason to move the Marine Police is not being addressed. KK MP Hiew King Cheu is not at all happy with this type of answer provided by the Ministry. He said that this is not the answer that the people are expecting to hear.

They people asked why the jetty can not be moved to a better location, and in fact there are many other locations available for exactly the same purpose, if not better. For example, the old KK port has many suitable parts ready and available for the purpose to house the operation of the Marine Police, and all the functions as mentioned can be done equally well.

The new space available can even provide the marine with living quarters, offices, repair workshops, store rooms and other facilities, while the marine police can still carry out the normal duties of protecting our water front and the islands. Besides, the office of the marine police is believed to be sitting on the road reserve.

We don’t see the logic for the Marine Police for not moving the small old jetty further down to a wider space. The other reason is that the residents and shoppers here will not feel comfortable where there is a marine police jetty next to them. Therefore, it will be wise for the Police HQ to plan for the move soonest possible. (DAP Media)