‘SHIPPING STUNT’ ACT IN SEMPORNA

INCREDIBLe…. The chained photos showing the loading of the van onto a twin boat. (courtesy by Ooi Kong Eow)

By : DAP MEDIA

THE MOST incredible shipping stunt act was discovered by a Ooi Kong Eow in Semporna where a twin boat was linked together to ferry a heavy van across the sea to Pulau Bum Bum from Semporna town. The trip across the sea took half an hour and it looks impossible, but the twin boat did actually and successfully delivered the van to Bum Bum Island.

The photos were shown to the KK MP Hiew King Cheu and this really surprised him with what he saw in the photos.

Hiew said he couldn’t believe that this way of risky transportation still existed in a modern era in Sabah. What is the government going to do about this, and it looks as if they have no knowledge of this at all?

The government had announced in February 2007 on the construction of a new RM100 million bridge to link up the Semporna town to Bum Bum Island. Where is the bridge after 5 years now? Are they making the announcement for fun, and why the bridge was not constructed?

Pulau Bum Bum is a beautiful island 15 minutes away boat from Semporna town, comprising of largely Bajau-Suluk people. Its name means “meeting place” in the local language.

This island has about 28,000 people, mainly fishermen, with 5 primary schools and a secondary school. Hiew said that the government has not been taking care of the islanders the way it should be. This can be seen from the way that the van is being transported in a risky way.

There should be a proper and safe way of crossing the sea. The safety of the people should be given prime priority. Hiew said why the government did not provide a proper ferry service to transport the cars, goods and the people to get across the sea. The ferry would be a safer and more convenience means of transport and not like the one we see in the photos.

If the government has no money to build the new bridge as announced in the budget, it is better for them to get a ferry service to serve here immediately without delay. These people in Palau Bum Bum are having the same right as other Malaysian too. They should enjoy the good service from the government as anyone else.

Although it seems funny and amusing to see what is in the photos taken in Semporna, but the real fact is these photos reflects the bad government performance and not caring for the people. The government has actually put the life of the people at big risk. The people will decide what should they do, and who to vote for in the coming general election.