The Malaysian Insight

PENANG is waiting for the Department of Occupational Safety and Health (DOSH) to complete its investigation into the Bukit Kukus landslide before taking action against any party.

Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow said the state executive council decided this morning that it was best to wait for DOSH, the federal authority on workplace safety, to finish its probe.

“This morning, the state exco was presented with the reports from the Penang Island City Council (MBPP) and the special committee headed by Deputy Chief Minister I Ahmad Zakiyuddin Abdul Rahman.

“The state secretary will contact DOSH to ask what is the latest (update on its work) and when the stop-work order on the site will be lifted to allow work to continue, and for the state to take action appropriately.

“For now, we will not take action until DOSH announces its decision and findings. We will wait for DOSH and whatever information (from the reports received) will be for internal knowledge,” he said at his Komtar office today.

Chow declined to comment on the MBPP and special committee’s reports. 

Nine foreign workers died in the landslide at a MBPP road construction site near Bukit Kukus on October 19.

There were no works going on at the time of the incident.

After the tragedy, DOSH ordered a halt to construction of the pair road linking Paya Terubong and Relau.

Earlier today, the state government also announced annual allocations of RM2 million to five independent Chinese schools. The schools had applied for RM6 million in total. 

Chow said the schools would also get some funds from the federal government, which had set aside RM12 million for 60 independent Chinese schools in the country. 

He said the funds had been promised by Pakatan Harapan.

Chow also announced that the chief minister’s annual Chinese New Year open house will be on February 6 at the Spice Arena in Bayan Baru from 3.30pm to 5.30pm. – January 9, 2019.