PANEL FINDS MBPP, 3 OTHERS TO BLAME
It recommends project contractor, checking engineer and consultant be blacklisted
THE Penang Island City Council (MBPP) has been found responsible for the fatal landslide at the construction site of the paired road project at Jalan Bukit Kukus last October.
A special investigation committee set up by the Penang government following the incident also found three other parties responsible, namely contractor Yuta Maju Sdn Bhd, consultant Jurutera Perunding GEA (M) Sdn Bhd and independent checking engineer G&P Professional Sdn Bhd.
Deputy Chief Minister I Datuk Ahmad Zakiyuddin Abdul Rahman, who is the committee chairman, said the MBPP as the owner of the project had failed to supervise the project despite having appointed Jurutera Perunding GEA as representative of the superintendent officer.
“By appointing Jurutera Perunding GEA, it does not mean that the council is freed of its responsibility to ensure the success of the project.
“Any action to be taken against the council will depend on the outcome of investigations into the incident by the police, the Department of Occupational Safety and Heath and the Construction Industry Development Board,” he said when making public findings of the investigation committee.
Ahmad Zakiyuddin said as for Yuta Maju, it had failed to ensure satisfactory mitigation works at the project site, and that the temporary slope constructed at the project site was not endorsed or designed by accredited consultants, which was a violation of the Board of Engineers Malaysia (BEM) guidelines.
“It also failed to ensure site safety by removing empty containers at the project site, where nine bodies were recovered.”
As for Jurutera Perunding GEA, Ahmad Zakiyuddin said the party had failed to ensure that the contractor abided by the guidelines set out by the BEM, while G&P Professional had failed to abide by the job scope given by the council.
“Following our findings, we have recommended that the contractor, consultant and independent checking engineer be blacklisted from any tender consideration for future projects.
“That said, they will still have to continue their works for the paired road project until the project completion, slated for May next year,” he added.
To another question if the special investigation committee’s findings would be made public, he there were no plans to do so as the report was to serve as a guideline for the state.
The landslide at the Bukit Kukus paired roads project site on Oct 19 last year killed nine workers and left four others injured.