The building owner of Menara Umno, where a lightning arrestor landed on several cars last Thursday, failed to submit a safety audit report which was due in 2011.
Tanjong MP Ng Wei Aik said a check with the Penang Municipal Council found that the building owner had failed to submit the report required under Section 85A of the Street, Drainage and Building Act 1974.
“The owner failed to comply with the common practice required once in every 10 years.
“It is meant to safeguard the safety aspects of a building,” he said at the scene yesterday.
Ng said civil action could be taken against the owner, as the Act carries a fine of up to RM100,000, a jail term of five years or both, upon conviction.
Deputy Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr Hilmi Yahaya, who was also present at the scene, said he would ask the building owner to investigate the incident.
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“The owner failed to comply with the common practice required once in every 10 years.
“It is meant to safeguard the safety aspects of a building,” he said at the scene yesterday.
Ng said civil action could be taken against the owner, as the Act carries a fine of up to RM100,000, a jail term of five years or both, upon conviction.
Deputy Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr Hilmi Yahaya, who was also present at the scene, said he would ask the building owner to investigate the incident.
Meanwhile, the Penang Government will investigate how the 15m-tall lightning arrestor could fall from the top of the 21-storey building, leaving a gaping five-metre crater on the ground and killing an Indian national.
The incident also caused part of Macalister Road to be closed because it was severely damaged.
“We are very unhappy about the incident and will definitely launch an investigation.
“We will see if we can establish legal liability and hope that both the building’s previous and present owners – Umno and JKP Sdn Bhd, will co-operate and come clean.
“If it is purely a natural disaster, we understand but how come other buildings were not similarly damaged?” Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng told a press conference yesterday.
He said a discussion would be held with the Fire Department and police to include Penang Municipal Council experts in the search and rescue operations at the site.
“We want to inject some expert input to speed up the operations as this is an engineering problem.
“The car is buried deep and under heavy concrete so it’s not easy.
“We are also concerned about the safety of the nearby heritage buildings,” he said.
