KUCHING: Phase one of the Tembirat Waterfront project will need to undergo further scrutiny following its collapse roughly four months before completion, with elements of subcontractor negligence suspected to be behind the incident.
Speaking to reporters on Sunday (June 21), Minister of Tourism, Creative Industry and Performing Arts, Datuk Seri Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah, said the Premier Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg had been expected to officiate the Tembirat Regatta event this year, coinciding with the completion of the waterfront’s first phase, before the section collapsed shortly before its scheduled completion.
“I am deeply saddened by what happened, but we can only plan – sometimes there are things we cannot avoid. That is the best we can do,” he said.
He said the construction contract had been awarded through an open tender process, and that he was not personally involved in the selection of the contractor.
“Everything went through an open process. But sometimes, even with an open tender, things still go wrong,” he said, adding that the incident had affected both phases of the project, with the second phase now facing a longer delay than originally planned.
Abdul Karim said he had raised the matter with the Premier, who indicated that both phases of the project could be revived if efforts to restart it were successful, noting that the project had originally been initiated well before the collapse occurred.
“It was delayed due to unforeseen circumstances – things that could not be avoided,” he said, appealing to residents in the Tembirat area to remain patient.
Abdul Karim, who is also Asajaya assemblyman, said that once the affected phase was completed, several outstanding matters could be resolved, including the previously cancelled Tembirat Regatta, which could not proceed as the site was deemed unsuitable for use until reconstruction was fully completed.
On the cause of the collapse, Abdul Karim said he had discussed the matter with the Department of Irrigation and Drainage (DID), adding that when a contract runs into difficulty, an investigation is typically required to determine whether negligence was involved or whether remedial intervention is necessary.
“Based on what I have been informed, there are elements of negligence on the part of the subcontractor.
“However, this can only be determined through the courts or further investigation,” he said.
He added that certain parties had already conducted an in-depth investigation into the cause of the collapse, but declined to disclose further details, citing potential legal implications for those involved.
“We cannot reveal this here, as it may be a legal matter, and disclosing it could affect the parties involved.
“But we do know there were certain faults or negligence on the part of those managing the matter, which led to this disruption,” he said.
On the status of the subcontractor involved, Abdul Karim said phase one of the project would likely proceed through legal channels, while the original contract for phase two would no longer continue.
“We need to look at this more carefully, to ensure that what happened in the first phase does not happen again in the second,” he said.
