‘Wait until reports are out’

GEORGE TOWN: No action will be taken against the Penang Island City Council (MBPP) and other parties yet over the fatal landslide at the construction site of the paired road project in Jalan Bukit Kukus last October, said Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow yesterday.

Following the announcement by the state’s investigative committee chairman Datuk Ahmad Zakiyuddin Abdul Rahman, who is deputy chief minister I, on Wednesday, Chow said he would wait for the report from the Department of Occupational Safety and Health (DOSH) and other relevant parties before deliberating on any action.

“We are not saying it will stop here. We are saying let DOSH and the other relevant parties come out with their reports first, and we will take the necessary action after that,” he said yesterday.

Chow was responding to a call by the Consumers Association of Penang for action to be taken against those found responsible in the incident.

He said the local authority had taken action to monitor the project.

“Which is why in the contract, they required the main contractor to appoint a resident engineer (RE), which is paid by MBPP, to monitor the project on the council’s behalf. The independent checking engineer was also paid by the council. So, these are measures taken by MBPP even before the start of the project, knowing it is a big project... knowing they do not have the capacity to monitor the project,” he said, adding that the council only had two or three engineers, who had to look into other matters.