KUALA LUMPUR: The National Water Activity Safety Council (WASC) today has urged the authorities of water recreational areas to conduct risk assessment and control in order to prevent more drowning deaths.
Its member, Tan Sri Lee Lam Thye said it is crucial to have signages to inform the public on dangerous spots, so they can take appropriate safety measures while carrying out their activities.
“The respective authorities should go and visit the areas to identify all the possible risks, be it at the beaches, rivers or waterfalls, as it is their responsibility to ensure the safety of the area.
“They must put up adequate signages to inform the public of high-risk areas, as many of them might not be aware of the dangers. Any damaged signages must also be replaced immediately.
“Although the visitors might know how to swim, but the moment they get into strong currents, they can be swept away, hence the notice of caution would be useful to help alert them,” said Lee, who is also the National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) chairman, when contacted today.
He said NIOSH is willing to assist the respective authorities to identify and conduct risk assessment at water recreational areas.
Lee also said that there should be a proper body to coordinate the collection of data regarding drowning deaths.
“It was reported that, according to the Fire and Rescue Department (FRD), 65 drowned in the first two months of this year.
“But how about cases attended and recorded by other agencies? If we were to combine their figures too, the number might be more than that.
“Therefore, there must be a proper body to coordinate the collection of data and it can be done, for example under the Health Ministry.”
Currently, the data on drowning cases is collected by the FRD, Malaysian Civil Defence Force, Department of Statistics and the Health Ministry, causing the figures released to vary because each agency collects data for a different purpose.
New Straits Times and Berita Harian today reported on the worrying trend of drownings, which from Jan to Feb 21 this year, had claimed 65 lives, with 54 swept away by strong currents while at water recreational sites.
Lee said in order to prevent more drownings, more awareness campaigns on water safety must be carried out to further inform and educate the public on the matter.
“Schools can invite representatives from the WASC or relevant agencies to give a briefing. Nobody should take safety for granted and they should not just simply jump into the water. Be extra careful.”
Meanwhile, Lee has suggested for the Urban Wellbeing, Housing and Local Government Ministry to take the lead in bringing water accidents including drownings to the Cabinet.
“The ministry, through the then minister Datuk Abdul Rahman Dahlan in 2016, had brought the matter to the Cabinet and that resulted in the formation of WASC.
“Therefore, this matter can be brought up again by the ministry and be presented to the Cabinet.”
On Tuesday, the Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said a Cabinet paper on the setting up of a special committee tasked to address water accidents including drownings is currently being drafted.
He said the paper would be drawn up by NIOSH.
Lee said, although NIOSH was honoured to be assigned to look into the matter, it however, did not really fall under its jurisdiction.
“But, we are prepared to give our input to the ministry from the point of view of occupational safety and health in water-related activities.”