Unfair to ask Guan Eng to resign over Tg Bungah landslide, says Penang exco
By MOHAMED BASYIR
with pix by AMIR IRSYAD OMAR
GEORGE TOWN: It is not fair to ask Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng to resign and claim responsibility for the Tanjung Bungah landslide that claimed the lives of 13 people.
State Local Government, Traffic Management and Flood Mitigation Committee chairman Chow Kon Yeow brushed aside the calls, asking if it was fair for Lim to resign over a “worksite accident”.
“Worksite accidents happen almost every single day, so imagine if ministers have to resign because of them.
“We have engineers (at the Penang Island City Council), and their initial checks found that there is suspected professional negligence.
“With the Commission of Inquiry being set up soon, it is better we wait for the outcome of its findings,” he told newsmen here today.
Penang Umno Youth chief Rafizal Abd Rahim had called on Lim to be held responsible for Saturday's deadly landslide at a construction site in Lengkok Lembah Permai, Tanjung Buingah here.
Rafizal had said the landslide could have been prevented if the Penang government, particularly Lim, had listened to the advice from various quarters who repeatedly expressed concern over hill slope developments in the state.
Meanwhile, Chow advised the city council to lodge a police report if they believe negligence was to blame for the landslide.
Chow said that a police report would enable the authorities to investigate and bring the parties responsible to justice.
“The state government has ordered all state authorities and the council to give their full cooperation in the investigation to help expedite it.”
The search and rescue operation was called off at 12.05pm today after all the victims’ bodies were retrieved. The last body to be recovered belonged to Malaysian Yuan Kuok Wern, 27, who was the site’s supervisor.
A thorough flushing exercise was conducted by the Fire and Rescue Department's K-9 unit before the operation was officially suspended.