This article first appeared in The Edge Malaysia Weekly on August 2, 2021 - August 8, 2021

On July 26, a Bangladeshi construction worker was killed after the scaffolding at the LRT Shah Alam site on Jalan Langat, Bandar Baru Bukit Tinggi, Klang, collapsed. Three other Bangladeshi men and an Indonesian man — all in their 30s — were also injured in the incident.

The Ministry of Human Resources has directed the Selangor and Federal Department of Occupational Safety and Health’s (DOSH) Forensic Engineering and Construction Site Safety Division to investigate the collapse.

Following the incident, MRCB George Kent Sdn Bhd — the Project Delivery Partner appointed by Prasarana Malaysia to undertake the LRT3 design and construction work — issued a stop-work order against the contractor, Pembinaan Jaya Zira Sdn Bhd. All the parties have publicly apologised for the death and injuries.

Prasarana has promised to conduct its own probe into the incident and also instructed MRCB George Kent to provide a detailed report as well as mitigation measures to prevent similar incidents in the future.

This is not the first major mishap at an LRT/MRT construction site, nor is it the first time a thorough investigation and detailed report have been ordered. So, surely, previous safety recommendations to prevent similar occurrences in the future should have been adhered to?

Was the incident due to negligence? Did the accident happen because the workers did not have enough experience or because fewer workers are allowed on site now, since Covid-19 restrictions mandated by the government have meant that only 60% of the workforce are allowed to be present at construction sites?

With DOSH, Prasarana and MRCB George Kent investigating, we expect a detailed report on what actually occurred.

Issues relating to worker safety are crucial. Not only do we need stricter safety measures but it might also be time to make the findings of such reports public. Information on compensation paid out to injured employees or the bereaved families of the deceased should also be made public. An apology is far from adequate, especially when lives are lost.

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