KUCHING, March 25 ― Police will cordon off Gunung Tabai, Bau, about 40 kilometres from here, to curb illegal gold mining activities in the area, said Sarawak police commissioner Datuk Aidi Ismail.
He said this was following an incident where a man was buried alive while he was mining gold illegally 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 carried out mining is dangerous.
“I advise the public to take care of themselves and do not do things that could endanger themselves,” he said when met by reporters after attending the state-level 214th Police Day celebration at the Sarawak police contingent headquarters here today.
Yesterday, a man was trapped in a deep pit after the area he was illegally carrying out gold mining activities with two others collapsed due to soil movement.
The body of Mat Tapa, 26, was found buried under rubble of rocks and dirt by the search and rescue team, but has yet to be retrieved.
Work to bring the retrieve the body resumed at 8 am today as the position of the victim was at a dangerous location due to the unstable rocks and soil movement, which could endanger the lives of the rescuers. ― Bernama
