Highlight MRT Corp CEO resigns over fatal work site mishap

by **Cals** Wed 20 Aug 2014, 00:51

Highlight MRT Corp CEO resigns over fatal work site mishap

Business & Markets 2014

Written by Supriya Surendran of theedgemalaysia.com

Tuesday, 19 August 2014 17:05

KUALA LUMPUR (Aug 19): Mass Rapid Transit Corporation Sdn Bhd (MRT Corp) CEO Datuk Wira Azhar Abdul Hamid has resigned over a work site accident, which killed three Bangladeshi workers.

The MRT work site is located within the former Rubber Research Institute (RRI) near Kota Damansara, Selangor. The incident at 8.30 pm yesterday saw a span of the MRT guideway dislodged from it piers and fell.

In a statement today, Azhar said his decision to resign was in line with MRT Corp taking full responsibility for the incident.

“As the head of MRT Corp, I am taking personal responsibility for the incident and this is the correct thing to do. I have informed the Chairman of MRT corp Tan Sri Dr. Ali Hamsa of my decision," Azhar said.

Azhar said MRT Corp would investigate and identify the cause of the accident. “I hope all weaknesses which are identified will be rectified,” he said.

Azhar was appointed CEO of MRT Corp on September 1 2011. His appointment followed the government’s decision to establish MRT Corp, which was tasked with taking over ownership and development of the Klang Valley MRT project from Syarikat Prasarana Malaysia Bhd

According to MRT Corp's statement, Azhar introduced, during his tenure as CEO, the concept of mutual agreement with land owners whose tracts were affected by the MRT project.

"Mutual agreements signed with the owners allow the land to not be compulsorily acquired by the government for the project, allowing for private land to co-exist with the MRT alignment.

"Besides solving a major land issue which paved the way for the MRT project to proceed, the move also reduced the amount of compensation to be paid by the Government for acquisition by about RM1.5 billion," the statement said.

According to the statement, Azhar has constantly emphasised the need to improve safety in the construction industry and has personally strived to establish mechanisms to achieve the goal.

These include the contractor’s performance assessment system, under which, safety, health and environment become criteria against which contractors are assessed.