Saturday, July 12, 2014
Dr. Martie Geiger-Ho, a lecturer at UBD, who discovered the shell at the
Berakas Forest Reserve yesterday. Picture: BT/Waqiuddin Rajak
The shell that was discovered at the Berakas Forest Reserve by Dr Martie Geiger-Ho, a lecturer at UBD. Picture: BT/Ridhwan Kamarulzaman
AN
UNEXPLODED old ammunition shell, presumed to have been used during
World War II, was discovered at the Berakas Forest Reserve yesterday.
Senior lecturer from Universiti Brunei Darussalam (UBD), Dr Martie Geiger-Ho told The Brunei Times that she found the “ordnance” which she believed to be around 50 years old, whilst she was taking photographs around the area.
A team deployed by the Royal Brunei Police Force (RBPF) confirmed
that the findings was that of an old ammunition, measuring about 17cm in
length.
It will be disposed today at an undisclosed place by a team involving the police and the Royal Brunei Armed Forces (RBAF).
“It looks like rocket launcher ammo used during that period, looking
at the size of it,” Dr Geiger-Ho said, estimating that the shell weighed
about half a 500 millilitre bottled water.
She found it lying exposed at the side of a cliff presumed due to the
process of erosion sometime 10.30 in the morning close to the
recreational facilities of the beach.
Dr Geiger-Ho, who said she worked with United States military for
more than three years, took the shell back to the university, where she
believed it was safe as there were not that many people coming to the
university yesterday.
Dr Geiger-Ho reasoned that she did this out of concern for public
safety as children usually play around the recreational playground in
the afternoon.
She was in dilemma whether to leave the shell behind that could disappear the next time she returned.
“Furthermore, I do not carry any flags with me, so there is no way I
could mark the site to be able to return and point out the exact
location to the proper authorities,” she said. “And at that time, I did
not carry any mobile phones in my pocket; even if I did, I would not be
able to know who to contact to since I am a foreigner,” she said, adding
that she was only in Brunei for about two years.
The senior lecturer said she was aware that the object needs to be removed and disposed properly by the authority.
“To those who ever found similar objects, I would recommend them to
call the proper authorities and take a photograph of the finding to be
sent to them,” she said. “It is something that needs an urgent attention
because these things can harm those who found them, especially
children, who might do things that could detonate it, if it is still
alive,” she added.
Members of the public should contact relevant authorities, such as
the police through its hotline 993, in the event of such discovery.
The police also discourage members of the public to touch any suspicious object found as it could be dangerous.
It could still be active and explode unexpectedly upon contact, the police spokesperson said.
The Brunei Times
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