By Debra Chong
The Malaysian Insider
Oct 24, 2011
KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 24 — Putrajaya risked public safety when it took four years to approve funds to repair the damaged roof at the Bukit Jalil National Stadium, the Auditor-General said in his report released today.
The report highlighted that the Merdeka Stadium Corporation (MSC), a federal statutory body responsible for the management of all national sports complexes, had applied to repair damage to the Bukit Jalil Stadium a total of four times since 2006.
The government finally approved RM30 million to repair the damaged stadium in December last year, the report added.
“The Auditor is of the view the delay in completing the roof repairs at Bukit Jalil National Stadium… was because the government did not approve the allocation applied for since 2006.
“This could jeopardise the comfort of users who would be exposed to the rain and endanger their safety if the roof collapsed especially for international events,” the report said.
The report said the 90,000-capacity stadium had a 10-year warranty for the German-made membrane roof cover, which expired in 2008, but noted MSC could not get a replacement roof because it was damaged by fireworks.
It noted too the stadium, which has hosted 2,100 events between 2008 and 2010, require other immediate repairs and pointed out rusty and loose cable screws holding up the roof.
The MSC had applied to the government twice last year to change its fireworks-damaged roof: the first time on February 8, for a budget of RM40 million; and again on September 20, for RM35 million under the 9th Malaysia Plan (9MP).
The government only granted it RM30 million in December 2010, under the 9MP.
However, the MSC only passed on the repair job to the Public Works Department — through the Youth and Sports Ministry — in April this year, citing lack of technical expertise, the Auditor-General’s Report said.
It urged the government to carry out immediate repairs to avoid endangering lives further.
This is not the first time a stadium has come under public scrutiny.
In June 2009, the Terengganu state stadium’s roof collapsed, damaging several cars, shortly over a year after it was officially opened by Yang di-Pertuan Agong Tuanku Mizan Zainal Abidin.
Hi Kit,
So sorry, I just wish your advice.
How can we attend the Parliamentary Select Committee on Electoral Reforms. What time do they start and end each day? Are there any procedures to follow? Do we have to make appointments? Do we need to submit our memorandum before hand? Please advice.
I think that we should all attend the Select Committee seating and use it as BERSIH 2.01.
It is time to act on what we went to the street for.
We need to change the tenant at Putrajaya. GE 13, coming soon, is our best chance. Failure is not an option. We us stand together and work very very hard.
Day in day out losses & bail out, Auditor General also shakes head. It is endemic corruption at all levels – top political echelons, leadership down to GLCs and Civil Service. It is not 10% mark up or RM50 to RM250 bribe for traffic offences. Some cases it goes to ridiculous 300% mark up! If one can’t rid corruption country will per Idris Jala’s prediction go bankrupt. It becomes a Question of not whether it will happen but only when it would. Such an inexorable course spells collective wealth destruction. Yet the problem cannot be easily addressed, and I doubt even by a change of government. This is because it’s a problem of mindset & culture, a generational problem. It is a problem inextricably bound with ethnic religious, cultural divide/schisms in the country which have deepened by the nature of communal and sectarian politics practised here since Independence. If one can’t rid of these schisms then one cannot rid of corruption so inextricably linked to and bound by them.
This is because primordial loyalties to race, religion and culture justify and buttress a feudal patronage value system of “you give me what I want, overlook my abuse, I, in exchange, protect, take care of you & your group against THE OTHERS!” In such a milieu taking becomes entrenched as a natural entitlement. The institutions & modern tools of statecraft based on check and balance, separation of powers, accountability institution of Auditor General, Parliamentary Select Committee, MACC included will not be effective at operative level if the Mindset and Value system of those in and with power to control and implement these (whether at higher echelons of govt, govt dept, GLCs MACC, law enforcement or court system) and those who support and continue to vote them remain feudal and pay but only lip service to these institutions bequeathed by colonial masters or the norms of accountability and governance exhorted from beyond our borders in the bigger global village. For so long as this mindset and value system prevail even regime change will not end the scourge of corruption but merely replace one group of abusers by another set.
Funds for submarines, APVs, jets are very quickly approved. Roofs?? Rakyat mati tak apalah. Apa boleh buat. Komisyen tak banyak.