Power outage: A snake did it

By Simon Peter

KUCHING, March 13 2025: The culprit who caused a power outage in Batu Kawa and MJC township on the night of March 11 was a snake, Syarikat SESCO Berhad (Sesco), Sarawak Energy Berhad’s (SEB) operations arm, confirmed today.

SEB’s regional manager for western region Effendy Syaiful Abdullah  said the poisonous snake had obviously wriggled its way up an electrical post erected at Batu kawa Malihah junction and made contact with its electrical equipment that led to the outage.

“The incident occurred at 8.31pm during heavy rain in Kuching,” Effendy said in a statement.

He said upon receiving reports, Sesco technical team responded immediately, working to restore supply safely and efficiently despite adverse weather conditions, adding that power was progressively restored, with full restoration by 10.45pm the same night.

It said subsequent equipment faults caused another outage in Riccarton Avenue, Moyan Mall, Batu Kawa Commercial Centre, Batu Kawa New Bazaar and Rantau Panjang before supply was fully restored at 11.39pm.

“Our priority was to restore power as safely and quickly as possible. We appreciate our
customers’ patience and understanding as our team worked under challenging conditions to
complete the restoration,” said Effendy.

He said ensuring a reliable electricity supply comes with challenges, as Sarawak’s extensive
transmission and distribution network runs through varied terrains including forests, farms
and plantations.

“This increases the risk of wildlife-related disruptions, which Sesco continues to address through enhanced infrastructure protection measures and ongoing system improvements.

Members of the public can report power outages or wildlife sightings near SEB’s
facilities through the Customer Care Centre at 1300-88-3111, via email at customercare@sarawakenergy.com, through the SEB cares mobile app and web portal, or by
chatting with its virtual agent CARINA.

 

After a delay by a year, Tabuan Jaya Clinic will be operational this year, says CCJ

By Mohd Reduan

KUCHING: Klinik Kesihatan Tabuan Jaya is sheduled to be in operation this year, said Stampin Member of Parliament Chong Chieng Jen (picture)  today.

He said he was informed that the construction of the type 2 clinic is now 97 per cent  completed.

“The community of Stutong and Tabuan Jaya will soon have the services of healthcare in their neighborhood,” Chong said after being briefed on the progress of construction of the clinic by Kuching Division Medical Officer Dr Johnny Pangkas here.

He said when completed, the clinic will provide services such as patient department, maternity and paediatrician, pharmacy, physiotherapy, work therapy, speech therapy, laboratory, radiology and dental.

“The clinic will be a great service to the surrounding community in Tabuan Jaya. Tabuan Desa, Stutong, Taman BDC and the surrounding areas and is expected to cater to 500 - 800 patients per day,” he said.

The clinic was supposed to be completed by June and targeted to be operational by the end of 2024.

When completed, the clinic is expected to ease patient congestions at Tanah Puteh Health Clinic and Kota Sentosa Health Clinic.

The clinic  was approved in 2018 when Pakatan Harapan took office in Putrajaya.

 

Report on separation of powers of Attorney-General and Public Prosecutor to be presented to federal Cabinet this year

 By Simon Peter

KUCHING, March 13 2025:  A report on empirical study on the Separation of Powers of the Attorney-General and Public Prosecutor is expected to be presented for consideration of the federal Cabinet later this year. 

Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Law and Institutional Reforms) Datuk Seri Azalina Othman Said (picture) said the report will be prepared by  the Secretariat of the Committee for Empirical Study.

“This empirical study is a clear evidence of the commitment of the federal government in realising the institutional reform agenda to ensure that the administration of the country continues to be improved for the well-being of the people and the country,” she said in a statement issued in London, United Kingdom.

She is now leading a high-level Malaysian delegation to the United Kingdom to study in more detail the concept of the separation of the roles of the Attorney-General and the Public Prosecutor in the UK as a reference for best practice in an effort to identify a suitable model for Malaysia.

The delegation is in the final series of empirical studies, having been to Canada and Australia last year, both are Commonwealth countries.

“Our meeting with Lord Hermer, Attorney-General for England and Wales at his office at the Ministry of Justice, was a very significant meeting because the discussions on the current system used in the United Kingdom, which includes aspects of the roles and functions of the Attorney-General and Public Prosecutors, were explained in more detail,” Azalina said.

She said the delegation also held a meeting with the Crown Prosecution Services (CPS) which is the body responsible for matters related to the prosecution of criminal cases in the United Kingdom. 

“This meeting session, among others, discussed the functions and powers of the Public Prosecutor and the relationship with the Attorney General,” Azalina stressed.

She added the delegation also had the opportunity to hold discussions with the Crown Prosecution Service Inspectorate as the inspectorate body which conducts periodic inspections of the relevant prosecution agencies for the purpose of checks and balances.

She said as part of the empirical study, a roundtable discussion session was jointly organised by Legal Affairs Division of the Prime Minister’s Department, University College London and National University of Malaysia with legal experts and academics focusing on the structures and functions of the Attorney-Generals and Public Prosecutors as practiced in Malaysia and the United Kingdom. 

The other members of the Malaysian delegation  include Chairman of the Special Select Committee on Human Rights, Elections and Institutional Reform of the Malaysian Parliament William Leong Jee Keen, Chairman of the Special Select Committee on the Review of Laws of the the Upper House Rita Sarimah Insol, Solicitor General Datuk Umar Saifuddin Jaafar and President of the Malaysian Bar Council Mohamad Ezri  Abdul Wahab.