KUALA LUMPUR – The Land Public Transport Agency (Apad) will take action against the contractor responsible for the crane collapse near some train tracks which disrupted rail services last month.
In saying this, Transport Minister Anthony Loke said the agency is currently completing an investigation into the incident that occurred at Rawang KTM Komuter station on December 12.
Actions will be taken under Section 128 (1)(a) Act 715 Land Public Transport Act 2010. The act states that any person who willfully or negligently damages train or railway premises, or any property belonging to a licenced operator, could be fined not more than RM5,000 or imprisonment not exceeding three years or both upon conviction, he added.
“The Public Works Department is currently assessing the extent of damage suffered by Keretapi Tanah Melayu Bhd (KTMB) and determining compensation in the aftermath of the incident.
“This is not only about the compensation – all involved parties must learn a lesson, and I hope this will not happen again, not even once.
“This tragedy serves as a reminder to all contractors to not take safety issues lightly, especially near the railway,” he said today in a press conference.
The crane in the construction of a multi-storey parking lot collapsed at the railway line between Rawang and Kuang due to the weak soil that the structure sat on before its upper parts broke and toppled on December 12 at 5.35pm.
Train services were disrupted, which affected around 20,000 passengers in the incident.
KTMB suffered RM2.4 million in losses, including those related to providing bus services, stalled cargo, and commuter services.
Loke stressed the seriousness of the case, emphasising that it involves the potential loss of civilian lives, even though no one was reported injured.
“This is a big and serious crime because they (the contractor) entered the restricted and dangerous area.
“If an accident happens, the effect will be bad because the boom crane toppled directly on the railway track.
“I think it is necessary to publicly reprimand and warn the contractors who are involved in construction beside or near the railway track,” he said. – January 4, 2024