State Disaster Relief Committee chairperson Alfred Jabu said today that divers from the Royal Malaysian Navy and the Marine Police will arrive in Belaga in the next two days to help in refloating the sunken ‘ Kawan Mas ’ Express boat.     

“I have received a report that the group has agreed to come.     

“They will go to the scene at Giam Bungan to make their assessment so that they will know what type of equipment they will need.     

“They will also estimate the cost. Based on their proposals, I will call for another meeting again to make our decision,” he said.     

Jabu, who is also the deputy chief minister, told reporters this after performing the soft launching of the Rascom Military Museum at the Rascom Military Camp at Ulu Oya Road in Sibu today.

He said the plan was for the divers to secure steel cables to the sunken vessel so that it could be brought to the river bank to find out if the two persons who were still missing were on board.

Efforts by local divers and others have so far failed due to the very difficult conditions of the river.    

In the May 28 accident at about 8.30am, some 213 passengers survived when the boat, licensed to carry about 75 passengers, capsized after hitting a log in the Rajang River at Giam Bungan.     

Two others, Maurice Ajan, 22, and Roslin Jati, 34, are still missing while one was found drowned.     

They were workers of timber camp and oil palm and timber plantation companies and their family members in the Bakun areas who were rushing home for the annual Gawai Dayak festival on June 1.     

Jabu added that the government was not giving up the salvage operation.

- Bernama