New Straits Times Online, 28 February 2013

LESS than four years ago, 60 per cent of the RM292 million Sultan Mizan Zainal Abidin Stadium roof collapsed, causing between RM15 million and RM25 million worth of damage. Fortunately, there were no casualties.

Now, catastrophe has struck again. This time, five workers were injured, two critically.

The Consumers Association of Penang is appalled by the apparent lack of safety by the contractor and officials involved.

Terengganu Infrastructure Development and Public Amenities Committee chairman Zaabar Mohd Adib said an integrity study had been done before the roof repairs but the contractor failed to propose an accurate work method to repair the roof. He also said the collapse was believed to be caused by weaknesses in the main roof structure after the removal of the middle framework.

In view of the danger to the workers, who have become casualties of this oversight, we question how they can be allowed to work without an "accurate work method".

Is there any progress report on the contractor, which is monitored by the local authorities?

What is the nature of the monitoring process and what are its findings?

Is the workers' safety prioritised by the professionals and authorities?

We also question how the removal of the middle framework, which caused the roof structure to weaken prior to the repair work, is approved and by whom.

Zaabar has said the contractor of the RM1.7 million repair project will bear the losses incurred in the incident. The callousness displayed towards public and worker safety has reached atrocious levels with every new disaster.

There is a lack of awareness in the attitude of contractors, consultants and government officials towards public safety.

In 2009, Human Resources Minister Datuk Seri S. Subramaniam had pledged to amend the Occupational Safety and Health Act (OSHA) 1994 to "ensure that the professionals will be more responsible and liable when it comes to safety requirements".

CAP is calling for the amendment to the act to be expedited in the interests of worker and public safety.

According to a Socso report, there were 34,376 industrial accidents in 2009 alone.

The number of fatalities reported was 1,231. Knowing very well the standards of safety practised by employers and authorities in the country, how many "professionals" were held accountable and liable for these accidents and deaths?

It is imperative that the contractor, engineers, consultants and local authorities involved are held accountable and responsible for the avoidable accident which could have resulted in deaths.

Only with responsibility and accountability will workers' safety improve in Malaysia.

This must be enforced by the Human Resources Ministry without delay.