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Malaysians were angry when primary school students in Kampung Nelayan, Sandakan, Sabah had to traverse a rickety bridge daily to get to school.

The bridge is made flimsily out of wood planks and wires and it looked like it was about to give way anytime.

The images showing the students of Sekolah Kebangsaan Sibuga Besar standing precariously on the bridge worried many netizens too.

Sadly, some Malaysian students in East Malaysia still have to put up with dangerous ways to get to school.

Recently, a Twitter user shared images of students from Kampung Pituru and Timbang Taun in Sabah cramped together in a small boat in order to get to school.

It’s believed the students of Sekolah Kebangsaan Mangkapon Pitas had to travel in a boat without proper safety equipment such as life jackets for more than a year.

Since no action has been taken, they felt that they had no choice but to make the issue viral online.

Netizens voiced their disappointment to find that the safety of students is blatantly ignored in this day and age.

It’s also disheartening that they had to make an issue go viral before it gets any attention from the relevant authorities.

Some of them expressed shock that the students weren’t given lifejackets and that the boat reached overcapacity.

A few of them hoped that the government or any non-governmental organisations can help donate a larger boat or two and life jackets for the students to use.

This issue has also made netizens point out that the Education Ministry should look into this as well while also trying to help Rohingya children get the education they need too.

Securing funds for bigger boats

According to Malay Mail, the Deputy Rural Minister for Sabah Harun Durabi is working to secure funds to get bigger boats and lifejackets for the school children who use boats to get to school.

I will have to get the exact number of school children for the safety jackets. I will visit them soon.

Deputy Rural Minister for Sabah Harun Durabi

Harun added that the river plays an integral role in connecting the rural communities in Pitas to the outside world since many of the villages are unreachable by road.

Hopefully, the funds and help come in time before anything regrettable happens to the students.

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