Faulty slab may trigger delay in SGH block construction – Bandar Kuching MP
KUCHING: A faulty slab at the Sarawak General Hospital ( SGH) might result in possible delay of the construction of the hospital’s Day Care Block, says Bandar Kuching MP Dr Kelvin Yii.
He said the issue of the faulty slab was confirmed by project developer and concessionaire Asaljuru Weida Sdn Bhd (AWSB) during his recent unannounced inspection on the progress of the ongoing construction of SGH’s multi-level carpark and hospital upgrades, which came about following a tip- off.
In a press statement yesterday, Dr Yii said a concrete slab in the hospital was reported to have failed the standard core test in meeting technical specifications due to the use of substandard concrete.
He said AWSB confirmed the matter had already been brought up to the relevant authorities involved, and instructions to demolish the faulty slab were already served on the subcontractor responsible for the slab.
“The project developer has given their assurance that they are doing their best to mitigate the situation,” he said, adding the delay in the construction of Petra Jaya Hospital is also adding extra traffic to SGH.
The MP said in the event of any delays, AWSB has assured that it will not involve additional public funds but rather only cut into the duration of their concession agreement.
He hoped that the relevant subcontractor will be able to rectify these problems promptly to ensure that the upgraded areas will be safe and operational within the contractual time period.
“Regardless of possible delays, the utmost priority and concern has to be the safety of all hospital users, as any similar incident to the recent explosion at CityONE Megamall should be avoided at all cost,” he said.
Dr Yii also commended AWSB for their action and transparency in ensuring that their contractors perform to the required standard as such professionalism is expected from all companies in carrying out projects.
“I would suggest that the government adopt a system of demerit points based on negative track records of contractors during award of future tenders,” he said, adding that public safety must never be compromised.