2 theSun | THURSDAY JUNE 4 2009

news without borders

Panel to probe building collapse

by Charles Ramendran
newsdesk@thesundaily.com
KUALA LUMPUR: A committee made
up of several agencies led by the Hous-
ing and Local Government Ministry was
established yesterday to investigate
the cause of the collapse of a building
formerly occupied by the Jaya Super-
market in Section 14, Petaling Jaya.
Minister Datuk Kong Cho Ha said
it was decided following yesterday’s
cabinet meeting that the committee
would look into whether the collapse
was the result of non-compliance with
standard procedures by the contractor,
negligence or even sabotage.
He said the panel would also
comprise representatives of the De-
partment of Occu-pational Health and
Safety (DOSH), the Construction
Industry Development Board,
Board of Engineers of the Public Works
Department, the Petaling Jaya
Municipal Council (MBPJ), Fire and
Rescue Department and the police.
“The Board of Engineers has forensics
experts who specialise in investigating
structural failure and such tragedies. If
necessary, we will also get the help of
independent engineers,” Kong said.
He said the committee would hold
its first meeting next week to discuss
the issues and a time frame for the
investigations to be concluded.
Asked about Human Resources
Minister Datuk S. Subramaniam’s state-
ment on Tuesday that early information
had shown contractors had carried out
demolition work without the approval
of the DOSH, Kong said: “DOSH can
make this submission when the com-
mittee holds it’s first meeting.”
On restitution for workers who lost
their lives in the incident and residents
living near the building who have had to
vacate their homes for safety reasons,
he said it was the sole responsibility of
the building developer.
A spokesman for DP Architects Sdn
Bhd – the consultants who undertook
the demolition and redevelopment of
the mall – when asked about theSun’s
front page report on Tuesday, declined
comment until the investigation is
completed.
“We are unable to comment at this
stage and do not want to jeopardise
the course of the investigation. How-
ever, we are assisting the authorities
and preparing reports for the probe,”
the spokesman, who declined to be
named, said.
The report had quoted MBPJ council-
lor Derek Fernandez as saying the task
of ensuring the safe demolition and
erection of buildings was the sole re-
sponsibility of the building consultants.
He said that by virtue of changes
in the law in 2007, local councils no
longer issued Certificates of Fitness
for new buildings.

‘Political parties, civil servants most corrupt’

by Karen Arukesamy
newsdesk@thesundaily.com
PETALING JAYA: Malaysians generally
consider political parties and the civil
service to be the most corrupt groups,
and the government’s anti-corruption
drive to be ineffective, the 2009 Global
Corruption Barometer (GCB) report
revealed.
The GCB, a global public opinion
survey of 73,000 respondents from 69
countries, commissioned by Transpar-
ency International, found that political
parties were perceived to be the most
corrupt by 42% of respondents, while
37% voted civil service institutions.
About 12% of respondents rate
the business and private sector as the
most corrupt in Malaysia.
In a survey conducted globally from
October last year to February, in which
Malaysia participated for the first
time, 67% of respondents believe the
government’s efforts in fighting corrup- submit financial statements which
tion were ineffective, leaving Malaysia should be made public.
way behind Indonesia where 74% of Malaysia last year ranked 47th out
respondents said the government was of 180 countries in the Corruption
effectively fighting graft. Perception Index.
Transparency International-Malaysia Low said TI-M, with its expertise and
(TI-M) president Datuk Paul Low said: knowledge, was willing to work with
“The reason could be the lack of trans- the government to fight graft because
parency and disclosure in the funding it affects the poor the most.
of political parties. The barometer showed that the
Nobody knows how the campaigns poorest families continue to be pun-
and activities of political parties are ished by demands for petty bribes.
funded, in both the Barisan Nasional “Across the board, low income
and opposition parties. respondents were more likely to meet
“If political parties want to be per- demands for bribes than high income king ..on . Zainal Abidin
and Raja
ceived to be less corrupt, they should respondents. Additionally, petty bribery Fit fordia-Pertuan Ag g Tuanku Mizan
look at a cake m ade for his
The Yang Nur Zahirah ziddin
increase the visibility of the sources of was found to be on the rise in many ong Tuanku pervisor Roiz
Permaisuri Ag tu rd ay , as pastry chef su y explains that
political funding, which may require mak- regions, compounding the already brations on
Sa of Hospitalit
ing some changes to electoral laws.” difficult situation of low income house- birthday cele ersity College ok eight days
the Berjaya Univ of a wau and to
“We also need to eliminate money holds, as jobs and incomes dwindle in Raza li from
rporat es th e sh ap e
ate of Te rengganu. It
ch inco ng’s home st
politics,” Low said, adding that this the economic downturn,” Low said. the cake, whi d by th e ki of flou r, 25kg of
was inspire of sugar, 12kg
included crossovers between parties The report found that in Malaysia, to complete, tter , 11 kg
m 12kg of bu
involving money. 9% of respondents had offered bribes was made fro
d fru it and 220 eggs.
He said political parties should also in some form in the last 12 months. drie

‘China never considered a threat’

» From Front Page
who had said China was a threat, Malaysia does
not consider China a threat because Malaysia had
evaluated several accounts of China from about
600 years ago.”
Najib described the bestowing of the honorary
doctorate on him as a symbol of the closeness of
friendship between Malaysia and China.
“I am most touched by this honour from a lead-
ing university and I believe this relationship will
remain beneficial in the future,” he said.
Najib also acknowledged the 60 students from
China at the BFSU who are studying Bahasa Malay-
sia and the 36 students from Malaysia there who
are studying Mandarin. He said he hoped that the
number of Malaysian students, especially Malays,
at BFSU would double next year.
He said he would ask his youngest child who
was studying Mandarin in Georgetown University
in Washington DC to attend BFSU for a month or
two for the same purpose.
Najib said he felt that “if we study languages,
we will understand the civilisations of both nations
and when we understand both civilisations, the
relations will be more cordial and tangible”.
He said that with these efforts, a journey which
began with the first step 35 years ago would be
one that promises a thousand and one produc-
tive possibilities. “Let this doctorate bestowed
upon me be an expression of the friendship from
the government and people of China. I look forward
to working closely with BFSU, with the Chinese
leaders. Let us work together and continue this
journey that was started 35 years ago.”
Najib said the relations between Malaysia and
China were deep-rooted and personal for him and
that was the reason his wife, Datin Seri Rosmah
Mansor, and his mother, Tun Rahah Mohamed
Noah, had also come on the official visit.
Later yesterday, Najib was accorded a warm
and grand welcome by his Chinese counterpart
Wen Jiabao at a special welcoming ceremony
on the grounds of the Great Hall of the People
adjacent to the famed Tiananmen Square, here.
He was also given the honour of a 19-gun
salute in a colourful ceremony where the flags
of both countries fluttered proudly in the sum-
mer breeze as thousands of tourists to the area
watched from afar.
China broke from tradition as it accorded
special treatment to Najib by allowing speeches
to be made after a signing ceremony at the Great
Hall of the People.
In a departure from the norm, the Chinese
premier took to the public address system after
he had presented Najib with a copy of a black and
white photograph of Malaysia’s second prime
minister Tun Abdul Razak Hussein signing a joint
communique with the late Chinese Premier Zhou
Enlai on establishing diplomatic relations between
Malaysia and China in 1974.
Normally no speeches are made after the sign-
ing of MoUs between two countries but China
decided to show its appreciation for Najib and his
father Razak, for establishing diplomatic relations
with China and subsequently strengthening them,
said Malaysian officials accompanying the prime
minister’s entourage. – Bernama

M’sia, China abolish visas for their diplomats

BEIJING: Malaysia and China yesterday agreed to
partially abolish the need to have visas for their
holders of diplomatic and official passports for
travel to each other’s countries.
This partial abolition of the visa agreement
was part of four memoranda of understanding
signed between Malaysia and China yesterday at a
ceremony at the Great Hall of the People here that
were witnessed by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib
Abdul Razak and Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao.
Malaysia also signed an MoU on a Joint Action
Plan on Strategic Cooperation with the Chinese
government.
Foreign Minister Datuk Anifah Aman signed
the MoUs together with his Chinese counterpart,
Yang Jiechi. He also signed an MoU on cooperation
in marine science and technology with a Chinese
administration official.
The fourth MoU signed was between Pos Malay-
sia and China Post pertaining to express mail and
parcel services, bulk mail, cross border e-commerce,
international finance, and logistics. – Bernama