SUKE incident: CIDB investigates traffic management aspect

KUALA LUMPUR, March 4 -- The Malaysian Construction Industry Development Board (CIDB) is looking at the traffic management aspect in its investigations into the incident at the Sungai Besi-Ulu Klang Elevated Expressway (SUKE) Highway construction project yesterday that left two women dead.

CIDB in a statement today said the investigation was being done in accordance with Sections 34B and 34C of Act 520 on the contractor's duty in ensuring the safety of the building and construction work either during or after the construction work is carried out.

If found guilty, the contractor can be fined up to RM500,000.

"Good traffic management during construction work is critical to ensure that it does not endanger road users," said CIDB chief executive Datuk Ir Ahmad ‘Asri Abdul Hamid in the statement.

He said CIDB took the matter seriously and was ready to work with all relevant agencies and industry players to improve existing standards and guidelines on traffic management while construction work is being carried out.

In the incident at about 6 pm yesterday, a trailer carrying heavy machinery was believed to have hit the steel scaffolding at a construction project, which caused the steel structure to fall and hit a van with five people on board, killing two of them.

Meanwhile,  Kuala Lumpur police chief Datuk Saiful Azly Kamaruddin said investigations were still ongoing, and that the police were waiting for full reports on the incident from various agencies involved, including the Department of Occupational Safety and Health.

-- BERNAMA