Three Bangladeshi migrant workers were killed in an accident at a construction site in Malaysia on Monday, reports The Star, a Malaysian English daily.
The victims, Mohammad Elahi Hossain, Mohammad Faruk Khan, and Mohammad Alauddin Mallik, were killed after a 300-tonne concrete span collapsed on them at 8.30pm at the construction site of MRT Corp, a Malaysian government company, in Kota Damansara, a township at Petaling district in Selangor state.
Police have not ruled out negligence as the cause of the accident.
Supt Junaidi Bujang, officer-in-charge of Sungai Buloh police station in Pataling, said although the case was classified as sudden death, police would also look into other causes, including negligence. Elahi, one of the victims, was supposed to end his shift at midnight, the police officer added.
Datuk Azhar Abdul Hamid, CEO of MRT Corp, resigned over the accident.
“As of tomorrow, I am no longer the CEO,” he said while addressing a press conference yesterday.
“I have always been very strict over safety measures at the MRT sites, but such incidents have occurred over and over again,” he said. “I have done my best, but I have evidently failed and therefore will be handing over my duties.”
Azhar also said he had been told that some security measures had not been followed by the sub-contractors at the site. “If that really is the case, I will make sure MRT Corp never works with them again,” he said.
He also said despite his departure from the company, he would see the case through and ensure that the families of the deceased are given justice.
Khondaker Showkar Hossain, secretary at the Ministry of Expatriates’ Welfare and Overseas Employment, said the ministry was trying to get the dead bodies home as soon as possible.
“It was an unfortunate accident. We are trying our best to bring the bodies home soon and ensure that the victims’ families get compensation,” he said.
“The Malaysian government is giving this incident high priority and will help us in this regard,” he added.
