LUMUT: The Human Resources Ministry will look closely at whether occupational safety and health procedures were followed by the contractor whose workers were killed in the Bukit Kukus landslide in Penang.
Its minister, M. Kulasegaran, said an investigation will be launched to find out just how the company had allowed its workers to stay in the location when a stop work order had been issued.
“The initial information I received was that all the workers were living in containers (which acted as kongsis) on the hillside, illegally.
“Department of Occupational Safety and Health (DOSH) officers and three officers from the Labour Department are already at the site to carry out investigations,” he told reporters after opening the Dr V.V. Menon Community Hall at the Sri Ramar temple at the Royal Malaysian Navy base here.
Four people are confirmed killed in the landslide, while work to locate any others who may have been buried alive continues.
Last week, a stop work order was issued to the Jalan Bukit Kukus paired road linking Paya Terubong with Relau after 14 concrete beams measuring 25m each fell down the slope on the site.
Kulasegaran said he was monitoring the developments at the site and would act if any quarter is found to have committed any offence.
He also gave his assurances that his ministry would publicly release findings of investigations once they are completed.