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Time to change "tidak apa"
ways
New Straits Times 05/01/2006
WE Malaysians have gone too far with our tidak apa attitude. We wait for a
tragedy to happen, and then clamor for heads to roll.
The authorities would then promise better enforcement and stiffer
punishment.
Why can't we adhere to the adage "prevention IS better than cure"?
With regard to the very avoidable death of Dr liew Boon Hong, here are a few
questions that I hope can be answered by those concerned:
Why was the building contractor who was issued seven stop-work orders, nine
notices of improvement and three compounds still allowed to continue with
work on the building in Sri Hartamas?
· What does it take to get a building contractor's license revoked
permanently and why wasn't this contractor's license revoked?
· Why is it that most often after incidents of this kind, stop-work orders
are issued, investigations conducted and things are allowed to pick up where
they left off?
· Why are things allowed to resume as normal and what criteria have
recalcitrant contractors to meet before the authorities allow them to
continue with work?
As long as the casualties are confined to lowly-paid lndonesians and
Banglades, a blind eye is turned to the steadily increasing number of
industrial fatalities in the country.
Now that a rising corporate figure has met a cruel end, will the authorities
impose stringent control on the enforcement of safety and not let errant
contractors of with just a slap on the wrist?
S.P.
Kuala Lumpur
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