Outdoor activity SOPs must be preventive, not reactive, says Lee Lam Thye after Kedah drowning

KUALA LUMPUR, April 11 — Standard operating procedures (SOPs) for outdoor activities must be reviewed continuously and anchored in a preventive approach, not only after tragedies occur, said Alliance for a Safe Community chairman Tan Sri Lee Lam Thye.

Lee said the recent drowning incident at Pantai Merdeka, Kedah, which claimed the lives of two trainee teachers from Institut Pendidikan Guru (IPG) Perlis Campus, highlighted the critical importance of safety in all outdoor and co-curricular activities organised by educational institutions.

“While the Education Ministry’s move to review SOPs for outdoor activities is welcomed, it raises a fundamental concern — why are SOPs often revisited only after a tragedy has occurred?

“Safety reviews must not be reactive. They must be proactive, preventive, and continuous. Proper planning, risk assessment, supervision, and emergency preparedness must be mandatory — not optional,” he said in a statement today.

He said educational institutions have a duty of care towards students, trainee teachers and staff participating in outdoor activities, especially in higher-risk environments such as beaches, rivers, waterfalls and hiking trails.

Lee said one life lost is one too many, noting that there have been far too many drowning incidents and outdoor mishaps over the years.

He said each tragedy should serve as a permanent reminder that safety must never be compromised for the sake of programme objectives, schedules or convenience.

Accordingly, he proposed several measures to be strictly implemented for all outdoor activities, including comprehensive risk assessments before programme approval, clear SOPs tailored to each activity, mandatory safety briefings, adequate ratios of trained supervisors, and the engagement of certified lifeguards for water-based activities.

Lee also emphasised the need to monitor weather and tide conditions, establish emergency response plans including access to nearby medical facilities, ensure the use of appropriate safety equipment, and implement a formal approval process with accountability at every level.

“SOPs must be established before activities take place – not drafted in response to tragedy. Preventive safety culture must be embedded within every educational institution.

“Let this painful incident be a turning point. We must move from reactive safety to preventive safety. No programme is worth risking lives. Safety must always come first. Because when it comes to safety, prevention is not just better than cure – it saves lives,” he said.

In the incident last Saturday, two Bachelor of Teaching Programme (PISMP) Physical Education students, Christopher Ling Jia Siang, 21, and Joey Ling Lin Siang, 20, were found drowned at about 7.30pm while participating in a kayaking activity at Pantai Merdeka, Sungai Petani, Kedah. — Bernama