Engineers from private sector urged to help out

Engineers from private sector urged to help out
The Star 1/4/2005

PENANG: Engineers from the private sector have been asked to help the local authorities here to inspect more than 1,200 high-rise buildings for cracks after Tuesday’s tremors.

Chief Minister Tan Sri Dr Koh Tsu Koon said yesterday the Penang and Seberang Prai municipal councils did not have many engineers to inspect the buildings within a short time.

“The state executive council decided on Wednesday that a guideline for monitoring cracks be worked out.

“We hope structural and civil engineers from the private sector will come forward to help,” he said after receiving a mock cheque for RM10,000 from the Tun Sardon Foundation for the TYT Disaster Fund for tsunami rehabilitation work.

Dr Koh also urged high-rise management corporations and residents associations to check for cracks themselves.

No formal complaint about cracks had been received although some cases had been highlighted in the press, he added.