Blame game

I was caught in a traffic jam in Bukit Mertajam last Tuesday morning. I remember commenting to a colleague that it was a shitty morning. As I drove along Jalan Permatang Rawa, the reason for the jam became clear enough. People were slowing down to gawk at what used to be a row of six plank-walled shophouses. They had been razed to the ground in a big pre-dawn blaze at 3am.


I've to admit that I also contributed to the jam because I too slowed down my driving sufficiently to capture these pictures: the aftermath of the blaze.




Right after the blaze, finger-pointing soon emerged. Some were pointed at the Fire and Rescue Department. They said that the firemen were forced to use water from a single hydrant quite a distance away from the blaze. It was also said that water was pumped from the drain and also, the firemen had allowed the fire to die down on its own. Fingers were also pointed at the Penang Water Supply Coroporation for the low water pressure at the time of the blaze. Today, it emerged that the water pressure was high enough and it fact, it was claimed that the water could shoot up to about 50 feet in the air on its own.

On Friday, the Penang government came out saying the responsibility laid squarely with the Local Government and Housing Ministry. Years ago, said Penang state exco member Lim Hock Seng, RM8 million had been allotted to fix all damaged hydrants. "It has been years but some hydrants are still not repaired," he said and pointed out that a hydrant nearer to the site of the blaze had been vandalised and thus, not functioning. "Hydrant maintenance is the responsibility of the Fire and Rescue Department under this Ministry. Where has the money gone to?" he asked.