DOSH must investigate Ipoh temple incident, says ex-minister
A fragment of a statue fell during a consecration ceremony at a Hindu temple in Ipoh.
GEORGE TOWN: A fatal incident in Ipoh involving falling debris from the top of a Hindu temple during a consecration ceremony must be probed by occupational safety investigators, a former minister said today.
Former human resources minister M Kula Segaran said it was not safe to use a crane to carry out the consecration at the gopuram (temple tower).
The Ipoh Barat MP, who was 30m from where the debris struck the woman, said such an incident could have been avoided.
“A poor mother of three died and three others were injured. A special investigating team from the occupational safety and health department (DOSH) ought to have gone to the site right after the incident.
“There are clear indications that occupational safety laws were not followed,” he told FMT.
Kula, who oversaw DOSH under his ministership, said that based on his observation, the crane operators were using hand signals to communicate instead of walkie-talkies.
“I saw them signalling and next thing you know, the boom swung so fast the gondola hit the gopuram at speed. Was safety compromised? Did the police alert DOSH after the incident?” he asked.
He said the government should set up a national Hindu endowment board to regulate rules related to temple consecrations so that temple committees can avoid such mishaps.
Meanwhile, DOSH acting director-general Anuar Embi said a full-scale investigation into the incident had been ordered.
He said fines ranging from RM50,000 to RM500,000 are provided under two laws governing the use of cranes – the Occupational Safety and Health Act 1994 and the Factories and Machinery Act 1967.
“Worker safety must be ensured and there should not be any risk to the people exposed to the activity. We will investigate to see if there was any breach of the law,” he told FMT.
On Sunday, a 53-year-old woman died after being hit by a piece of broken ornament which fell from the top of the Arulmigu Visalatchi Sametha Kasi Visvanathar Temple tower after it came into contact with the crane.
Police have classified the incident as sudden death.
GEORGE TOWN: A fatal incident in Ipoh involving falling debris from the top of a Hindu temple during a consecration ceremony must be probed by occupational safety investigators, a former minister said today.
Former human resources minister M Kula Segaran said it was not safe to use a crane to carry out the consecration at the gopuram (temple tower).
The Ipoh Barat MP, who was 30m from where the debris struck the woman, said such an incident could have been avoided.
“A poor mother of three died and three others were injured. A special investigating team from the occupational safety and health department (DOSH) ought to have gone to the site right after the incident.
“There are clear indications that occupational safety laws were not followed,” he told FMT.
Kula, who oversaw DOSH under his ministership, said that based on his observation, the crane operators were using hand signals to communicate instead of walkie-talkies.
“I saw them signalling and next thing you know, the boom swung so fast the gondola hit the gopuram at speed. Was safety compromised? Did the police alert DOSH after the incident?” he asked.
He said the government should set up a national Hindu endowment board to regulate rules related to temple consecrations so that temple committees can avoid such mishaps.
Meanwhile, DOSH acting director-general Anuar Embi said a full-scale investigation into the incident had been ordered.
He said fines ranging from RM50,000 to RM500,000 are provided under two laws governing the use of cranes – the Occupational Safety and Health Act 1994 and the Factories and Machinery Act 1967.
“Worker safety must be ensured and there should not be any risk to the people exposed to the activity. We will investigate to see if there was any breach of the law,” he told FMT.
On Sunday, a 53-year-old woman died after being hit by a piece of broken ornament which fell from the top of the Arulmigu Visalatchi Sametha Kasi Visvanathar Temple tower after it came into contact with the crane.
Police have classified the incident as sudden death.
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