MB: Stadium roof defects known before Sukma

(Bernama) – The Gong Badak Stadium roof construction defects were discovered before the 12th Malaysia Games’ (Sukma) opening in May last year, said Terengganu Menteri Besar Datuk Ahmad Said.

He said the army commandos, who were supposed to scale down the roof as part of the opening ceremony, changed their mind when they found the structure shook when they tried to tie some ropes to it.

“They abandoned the idea during the training. Instead they were lowered from a helicopter for the Sukma’s opening show on May 10,” he told reporters after chairing the state executive council meeting here today.

He claimed the supporting structure could not hold up the roof.

Prior to Sukma’s opening, Ahmad said, he had noticed the roof was uneven and told the Public Works Department (PWD) about it.

“The PWD had promised to rectify it after Sukma. That was the assurance given to me,” he said, adding that, he had voiced his concern again to Terengganu PWD deputy director Ghazali Hashim three weeks ago.

Ahmad said Ghazali wrote to him two weeks ago that the contractor would fix the problem.

Meanwhile, Terengganu Sports Complex manager Khairol Azmi said the South Korean construction maintenance company personnel had inspected the condition of the roof shortly before the roof collapsed yesterday.

“The record book at the stadium’s guard house showed that the construction maintenance personnel had registered themselves several minutes before the mishap.

“They left after the roof collapsed,” he said, adding that the management, security, maintenance and bowling offices had been shifted to the indoor stadium nearby.

Ghazali, who accompanied Youth and Sports Minister Datuk Ahmad Shabery Cheek at the stadium, said the PWD had not issued a certificate of completion on the stadium roof.

“The PWD had only issued certificates of completion on the track and field, and several amenities outside the stadium. The certificates were issued during the Games on May 31 last year.

“The certificate was not given for the roof as it is still in the defect period,” said Ghazali. He said the PWD would deal with the main contractor of the stadium and not the Korean subcontractor which installed the roof.