Daily News

PETALING JAYA: Two more bodies of Indonesian construction workers were recovered from the rubble of the collapsed Jaya Supermarket building in Section 14 here, bringing the death toll to four.



They were identified as Muhammed Maskur, 31, and 38-year-old excavator operator Anwarudin.

Muhammed’s body was found pinned under a concrete slab in the car park at 3.30am yesterday while that of Anwarudin, who was trapped under the excavator, was pulled out two hours later.

On Thursday, the body of 53-year-old AlSuki Nahru was found together with another victim who could not be identified as only the bottom half of the body was recovered.

The two men pulled out of the rubble alive on Thursday have been identified as Sale, 48, and Suryano, 32. It is learnt that Muhammed was Suryano’s younger brother.

Petaling Jaya police chief Asst Comm Arjunaidi Mohamed said the search and rescue operation would continue round the clock to locate the three remaining victims buried under the rubble.

Rescue personnel are also using a tracker dog unit and a scope camera in the search, he said, adding that there was no new information on more victims.

The 541 search and rescue team personnel were from the police, Fire and Rescue Department, Civil Defence Department, Petaling Jaya City Council and Special Malaysia Disaster Assistance and Rescue Team.

On Thursday, the five-storey portion of the supermarket building collapsed right to the basement, where the car park was located, during demolition work.

A 10-storey office block at the other end of the building was not affected in the 5pm incident.

Indonesian Embassy minister counsellor (information, social and culture) Widyarka Ryananta, who visited Sale and Suryano at the University Malaya Medical Centre said he would get details of all victims of the incident and contact their family members, adding that the recovered bodies would be sent to Indonesia.

Housing and Local Government Minister Datuk Seri Kong Cho Ha, who visited the site yesterday, said rescue work was being hampered by the large amount of debris.

“I would like an explanation from the contractor involved in the demolition on the methods the company used,” he said, warning that stern action would be taken if there had been negligence.

“I am going to put in a working paper on this incident. A task force comprising the local council, police and Fire and Rescue Department will also be formed to probe the collapse,” he said, adding that demolition work and the new mall was approved in July 2007.

National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health chairman Tan Sri Lee Lam Thye said the incident was a stark reminder on why safety at the workplace should not be taken for granted.

“It is sad that it takes another tragedy for people to realise what will happen if one takes safety at the workplace for granted.

“Proper risk assessment is the most fundamental issue of commitment to safety,” he said in a statement yesterday.