Inquiry panel on tragedy to be set up
> Commission will conduct full and independent probe, says Guan Eng
GEORGE TOWN: The state government will establish the Penang state Commission of Inquiry into the landslide tragedy in Tanjung Bungah on Saturday, said Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng.
Lim said the state Commission of Inquiry would be set up under Section 2(3)(d) and Section 3(1) of the Commissions of Enquiry Act 1950.
He said the establishment and the terms of reference would be worked out and approved at the state exco meeting next week.
“The Penang state Commission of Inquiry will conduct a full and independent investigation to determine the cause of this worksite accident and take action against those responsible. I would also be recommending that the Commission of Inquiry shall be empowered to investigate all ancillary matters related to the project.
“Something must be very wrong because there was no rain for the past several days that could have caused the slope to collapse.
“While we do not wish to speculate, strong suspicions remain of professional negligence, defects in monitoring and noncompliance with work safety procedures,” he told reporters at a press conference held at the landslide location yesterday.
Lim added the developer would not be allowed to start work on the affordable housing project until the Commission of Inquiry had completed its work and issued a report on its findings.
The project consists of two 49-storey tower blocks and 12 levels of car parks. It has 980 units for sale at below RM400,000 each.
Lim said the building contractor undertaking the construction work would be blacklisted by the Penang Island City Council (MBPP), together with any consultant experts directly involved, pending the outcome of the inquiry.
“MBPP has also been told to conduct immediate checks and take action on construction building sites, especially slope-related, to ensure that the guidelines are complied with to ensure building safety and structural stability.”
Lim said the inquiry commission would be set up on the same lines as a Penang state Commission of Inquiry established to look into the collapse of a section of the Second Penang Bridge on June 6, 2013 that killed a motorist, and the collapse of the tower at Menara Umno along Macalister Road on June 13 in the same year that killed two members of the public.
Some buyers of the affected housing project, who declined to be named, said they might want to ask for a refund or compensation following the incident.
“We are keen to find another unit in another area following the mishap,” they told theSun at this construction site. We hope the developer will tell us the next course of the action after this mishap.”
When asked whether the landslide was due to a quarry located near the cons-truction site, Lim said he was informed by MBPP mayor Datuk Maimunah Mohd Sharif that the quarry had been approved by the previous state government.
“Whether that is the case is for the commission to decide, we are keeping an open mind,” he said.