Workers escape in the nick of time as roof of year-old stadium collapses

By R.S.N. MURALI

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KUALA TERENGGANU: Billed as the pride of the state, the RM300mil Sultan Mizan Zainal Abidin Stadium in Gong Badak suffered a major blow when its roof collapsed yesterday – just a year after it was opened.

No one was injured in the 9am incident, but the stadium, which was the venue for Sukma (Malaysian Games) last year, has been declared unsafe.

Declared unsafe: The Sultan Mizan Zainal Abidin Stadium after its roof collapsed yesterday. — Bernama

The damage at the east wing has been estimated at RM25mil.

The impact of the collapse was so loud that an employee at the stadium thought that a plane had crashed-landed on it.

“I shivered when I heard the deafening sound,” stadium administration officer Noor-kumarasari Jamil, 31, said.

She panicked and screamed for her colleagues to leave the office as the Sultan Mahmud Airport was situated near to the stadium.

Noorkumarasari said her superior directed all the employees to vacate the office and take shelter at a nearby indoor stadium.

Damaged: Workers looking at the collapsed structure of the RM300mil Sultan Mizan Zainal Abidin Stadium in Gong Badak, Terengganu. The affected zones are the main entrance, royal podium and the public seating area.

General worker Hajjah Shafar, 32, said she was terrified when she saw the roof structure tumbling down.

“I was sweeping the floor at the west wing of the stadium when the roof collapsed,” she said. “I just ran for my life.”

Nineteen workers, mostly cleaners, were at the stadium but they managed to flee to safety.

The stadium is part of the modern Gong Badak sports complex, which was built at an initial cost of RM250mil but the amount surged by an additional RM50mil due to soaring prices of building materials.

The indoor stadium, which is also part of the complex, was built at a cost of RM160mil.

The roof on the stadium’s left wing was ravaged after the iron frame structure supporting the 300m-long roof destabilised, causing it to fold. The affected zones were the main entrance, royal podium and the public seating area.

A Kancil car and three motorcycles were also damaged by the debris.

Works Minister Datuk Shaziman Mansor, who visited the site, said the Construction and Industrial Development Board, a wing under the ministry, had been tasked to form a team comprising architects to determine the cause of the catastrophe.

“It’s premature to point fingers at any party, including the contractor responsible for erecting the roof structure, until the outcome of the investigation.

“The stadium is still under warranty and the contractor will bear the cost of the remedial works,” he said, adding that the incident had tarnished the reputation of the country.

State Fire and Rescue Department director Puazan Ahmad said they received a distress call at 9.45am, and 25 personnel were sent to the site.

http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2009/6/3/nation/4038239&sec=nation

Burma’s Suu Kyi claims innocence

Diplomats were allowed to meet Aung San Suu Kyi on Wednesday Burmese opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi, on trial for breaking the terms of her house arrest, has told a court she committed no crime, her lawyer says. She spoke after five days of evidence from prosecution witnesses. The UN Security Council has renewed demands for all political prisoners to be freed and called on Burma’s military rulers to open talks with Ms Suu Kyi. She had been due for release on 27 May, but the charges she faces carry a maximum of five years in jail. The authorities say she breached the conditions of her latest period of house arrest by allowing US national John Yettaw to stay in her home. Observers say Burma’s military rulers are using the charges as a pretext to keep her in jail during a general election scheduled for next year. Rapid prosecution In a press statement, the Security Council called for all political prisoners to be freed and to “create the necessary conditions for a genuine dialogue” with Ms Suu Kyi and other political groups.   Inside Burma’s Insein prison Profile: Aung San Suu Kyi “The members of the Security Council express their concern about the political impact of recent developments related to Daw Aung San Suu Kyi,” the statement said. Ms Suu Kyi’s lawyer, Nyan Win, said the presiding judge officially accepted the charges against her at the end of the prosecution case – which came much more rapidly than people had thought it would. Prosecutors had been expected to call 22 witnesses, but the lawyer told the BBC’s Burmese service that in the event far fewer had actually taken the stand. He said the judge asked Ms Suu Kyi whether she was guilty, and she replied: “I have no guilt as I didn’t commit any crime.” The trial, which is being held behind closed doors at Rangoon’s Insein jail, is expected resume on Monday when her defence will present its case. ‘Assassination dream’ Mr Yettaw, who swam across a lake to reach her house, is also on trial in Insein jail.   A group of Ms Suu Kyi’s supporters gathered outside the jail on Thursday He is reported to have testified that he made the visit because he had dreamt that she was going to be assassinated. Ms Suu Kyi’s lawyers say she tried to send the man away but he refused to go. He was then allowed to stay only because he said he was exhausted. The ruling generals say the incident was a stunt designed to embarrass the government. Foreign Minister Nyan Win was quoted as saying the incident had been fabricated by “internal and external anti-government elements” to “intensify international pressure” on the regime. International condemnation Ms Suu Kyi’s trial opened on Monday behind closed doors. Burma’s ruling junta allowed some diplomats and journalists into the proceedings on Wednesday, only to bar them again the following day. Governments and rights groups have condemned the trial – and diplomats have said they expect Ms Suu Kyi to be found guilty. The Nobel Peace Prize winner has been under house arrest for 13 of the past 19 years. The party she leads, the National League for Democracy (NLD), won the country’s last general election in 1990 – but she was never allowed to take power. The ruling generals have scheduled an election for next year – but have written a new constitution which carves out a major role for the military in any new government. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/asia-pacific/8063817.stm

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