Thesun 2009-06-04 Page02 Panel To Probe Building Collapse

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theSun

| THURSDAY JUNE 4 2009

news without borders

Panel to probe building collapse by Charles Ramendran [email protected]

KUALA LUMPUR: A committee made up of several agencies led by the Housing and Local Government Ministry was established yesterday to investigate the cause of the collapse of a building formerly occupied by the Jaya Supermarket in Section 14, Petaling Jaya. Minister Datuk Kong Cho Ha said it was decided following yesterday’s cabinet meeting that the committee would look into whether the collapse was the result of non-compliance with standard procedures by the contractor, negligence or even sabotage. He said the panel would also comprise representatives of the Department of Occu-pational Health and Safety (DOSH), the Construction Industry Development Board, Board of Engineers of the Public Works Department, the Petaling Jaya

Municipal Council (MBPJ), Fire and Rescue Department and the police. “The Board of Engineers has forensics experts who specialise in investigating structural failure and such tragedies. If necessary, we will also get the help of independent engineers,” Kong said. He said the committee would hold its first meeting next week to discuss the issues and a time frame for the investigations to be concluded. Asked about Human Resources Minister Datuk S. Subramaniam’s statement on Tuesday that early information had shown contractors had carried out demolition work without the approval of the DOSH, Kong said: “DOSH can make this submission when the committee holds it’s first meeting.” On restitution for workers who lost their lives in the incident and residents living near the building who have had to vacate their homes for safety reasons, he said it was the sole responsibility of

the building developer. A spokesman for DP Architects Sdn Bhd – the consultants who undertook the demolition and redevelopment of the mall – when asked about theSun’s front page report on Tuesday, declined comment until the investigation is completed. “We are unable to comment at this stage and do not want to jeopardise the course of the investigation. However, we are assisting the authorities and preparing reports for the probe,” the spokesman, who declined to be named, said. The report had quoted MBPJ councillor Derek Fernandez as saying the task of ensuring the safe demolition and erection of buildings was the sole responsibility of the building consultants. He said that by virtue of changes in the law in 2007, local councils no longer issued Certificates of Fitness for new buildings.

‘Political parties, civil servants most corrupt’ by Karen Arukesamy [email protected]

PETALING JAYA: Malaysians generally consider political parties and the civil service to be the most corrupt groups, and the government’s anti-corruption drive to be ineffective, the 2009 Global Corruption Barometer (GCB) report revealed. The GCB, a global public opinion survey of 73,000 respondents from 69 countries, commissioned by Transparency International, found that political parties were perceived to be the most corrupt by 42% of respondents, while 37% voted civil service institutions. About 12% of respondents rate the business and private sector as the most corrupt in Malaysia. In a survey conducted globally from October last year to February, in which Malaysia participated for the first time, 67% of respondents believe the

government’s efforts in fighting corruption were ineffective, leaving Malaysia way behind Indonesia where 74% of respondents said the government was effectively fighting graft. Transparency International-Malaysia (TI-M) president Datuk Paul Low said: “The reason could be the lack of transparency and disclosure in the funding of political parties. Nobody knows how the campaigns and activities of political parties are funded, in both the Barisan Nasional and opposition parties. “If political parties want to be perceived to be less corrupt, they should increase the visibility of the sources of political funding, which may require making some changes to electoral laws.” “We also need to eliminate money politics,” Low said, adding that this included crossovers between parties involving money. He said political parties should also

submit financial statements which should be made public. Malaysia last year ranked 47th out of 180 countries in the Corruption Perception Index. Low said TI-M, with its expertise and knowledge, was willing to work with the government to fight graft because it affects the poor the most. The barometer showed that the poorest families continue to be punished by demands for petty bribes. “Across the board, low income respondents were more likely to meet demands for bribes than high income respondents. Additionally, petty bribery was found to be on the rise in many regions, compounding the already difficult situation of low income households, as jobs and incomes dwindle in the economic downturn,” Low said. The report found that in Malaysia, 9% of respondents had offered bribes in some form in the last 12 months.

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‘China never considered a threat’ » From Front Page who had said China was a threat, Malaysia does not consider China a threat because Malaysia had evaluated several accounts of China from about 600 years ago.” Najib described the bestowing of the honorary doctorate on him as a symbol of the closeness of friendship between Malaysia and China. “I am most touched by this honour from a leading university and I believe this relationship will remain beneficial in the future,” he said. Najib also acknowledged the 60 students from China at the BFSU who are studying Bahasa Malaysia and the 36 students from Malaysia there who are studying Mandarin. He said he hoped that the number of Malaysian students, especially Malays, at BFSU would double next year. He said he would ask his youngest child who was studying Mandarin in Georgetown University in Washington DC to attend BFSU for a month or two for the same purpose. Najib said he felt that “if we study languages, we will understand the civilisations of both nations and when we understand both civilisations, the relations will be more cordial and tangible”. He said that with these efforts, a journey which began with the first step 35 years ago would be one that promises a thousand and one productive possibilities. “Let this doctorate bestowed upon me be an expression of the friendship from the government and people of China. I look forward to working closely with BFSU, with the Chinese leaders. Let us work together and continue this journey that was started 35 years ago.”

Najib said the relations between Malaysia and China were deep-rooted and personal for him and that was the reason his wife, Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor, and his mother, Tun Rahah Mohamed Noah, had also come on the official visit. Later yesterday, Najib was accorded a warm and grand welcome by his Chinese counterpart Wen Jiabao at a special welcoming ceremony on the grounds of the Great Hall of the People adjacent to the famed Tiananmen Square, here. He was also given the honour of a 19-gun salute in a colourful ceremony where the flags of both countries fluttered proudly in the summer breeze as thousands of tourists to the area watched from afar. China broke from tradition as it accorded special treatment to Najib by allowing speeches to be made after a signing ceremony at the Great Hall of the People. In a departure from the norm, the Chinese premier took to the public address system after he had presented Najib with a copy of a black and white photograph of Malaysia’s second prime minister Tun Abdul Razak Hussein signing a joint communique with the late Chinese Premier Zhou Enlai on establishing diplomatic relations between Malaysia and China in 1974. Normally no speeches are made after the signing of MoUs between two countries but China decided to show its appreciation for Najib and his father Razak, for establishing diplomatic relations with China and subsequently strengthening them, said Malaysian officials accompanying the prime minister’s entourage. – Bernama

M’sia, China abolish visas for their diplomats BEIJING: Malaysia and China yesterday agreed to partially abolish the need to have visas for their holders of diplomatic and official passports for travel to each other’s countries. This partial abolition of the visa agreement was part of four memoranda of understanding signed between Malaysia and China yesterday at a ceremony at the Great Hall of the People here that were witnessed by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Abdul Razak and Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao. Malaysia also signed an MoU on a Joint Action

Plan on Strategic Cooperation with the Chinese government. Foreign Minister Datuk Anifah Aman signed the MoUs together with his Chinese counterpart, Yang Jiechi. He also signed an MoU on cooperation in marine science and technology with a Chinese administration official. The fourth MoU signed was between Pos Malaysia and China Post pertaining to express mail and parcel services, bulk mail, cross border e-commerce, international finance, and logistics. – Bernama