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