KUCHING – Police will cordon off Gunung Tabai, Bau, about 40km from here, to curb illegal gold-mining activities in the area, said Sarawak police commissioner Datuk Aidi Ismail.
He said this follows an incident in which a man was buried alive while illegally mining gold in the area yesterday.
He added that police will also discuss with the Bau district office to find a more comprehensive solution on the matter, he said.
“I have asked the police in Bau to cordon off the area so that the public is no longer allowed to enter. We see that the way they carry out mining is dangerous.
“I advise the public to take care of themselves and not to do things that could endanger themselves,” he said after attending the state-level 214th Police Day celebration at the Sarawak police contingent headquarters here today.
Yesterday, a man became trapped in a deep pit while trying to mine gold with two others after the ground collapsed due to soil movement.
The body of Mat Tapa, 26, was found buried under rubble by a search-and-rescue team, but has yet to be retrieved.
Efforts to retrieve the body resumed at 8am today as the position of the victim is at a dangerous location due to unstable rock and soil movement, which could endanger the lives of the rescuers. – Bernama, March 25, 2021
