lagi runtuh di Terengganu

The third floor of a building under construction collapsed in Universiti Malaysia Terengganu’s campus in Gong Badak, killing one Bangladeshi worker.

Two other workers are seriously injured while another two sustained light injuries in the incident that took place at 5.30pm Monday. Three workers escaped unharmed.

All the workers involved are Bangladeshis.

UMT deputy vice-chancellor (student affairs) Prof Dr Yahaya Ibrahim said that the building was constructed to house the varsity’s Oceanography Institute and the tragedy was the result of weak scaffolding that collapsed.

“From what we know, the problem lies with the scaffolding. There is nothing wrong with the structure of the institute,” he said in a telephone interview.

“There were no students near the construction site and campus life will not be disrupted.”

Dr Yahaya added that a post-mortem would be conducted and construction would be halted for the time being.

When contacted, Higher Education Minister Datuk Seri Mohamed Khaled Nordin said that the construction project was handled by the Public Works Department (JKR) and expressed regret over the tragedy.

“I hope that they (the JKR) will conduct a thorough investigation and get to the bottom of things,” he said.

Meanwhile, UMT vice-chancellor Prof Dr Aziz Deraman, who is currently in Canada, said that he was getting live updates on the matter.

He added that he would ascertain the damage for himself when he returned to Malaysia this weekend.

Sources said that Terengganu Mentri Besar Datuk Ahmad Said visited the site before heading to hospital to meet the victims. 

p/s - derah molek mat said sapa......