Wednesday, March 29, 2006

MRR2 - Work Minister v JKR

That's a BULL-SHIT, Samy!

The PWD never suggested Halcrow; the former Director-General suggested.

In the first place, PWD had suggested Leonhardt Andra. When the problem of MRR 2 surfaced, the PWD Cawangan Jalan (Roadworks Department) Director was Datuk Razali and by convention, Cawangan Jalan reports directly to the Timbalan Ketua Pengarah I which was at that time under the leadership of Deputy Director-General Datuk Prof Dr Wahid. Datuk Wahid who had been consistent in his judgment and actions when interviewed by the PAC. By some political maneuver, Dr. Wahid was removed from his power-base and substituted by his junior colleague in order to fulfil the conspiracy of the power that is, and power that had been.

By God's grace, this honest engineer survived the political trauma and turmoil and by the grace of the Almighty, was blessed and promoted to the top post of D-G this year. Being the honest man that he had been, and will continue to be, irrespective of the fact that he had put his head on the chopping block for the political master to slay at his convenience, the new D-G stayed consistent to his profound knowledge and insist that 33 beams must be repaired instead of the 13 nos as suggested by Halcrow which was seen as some kind of compromise. Leonhardt Andra, one of the world reknown structural engineers will not compromise on the structural integrity; Halcrow had been seen as much accomodating to the wills of man.

Bridgex Sdn Bhd was appointed to carry out the repairs and the cost is anticipated to be approx RM40 million. The government is paying for it, as announced by Samy Vellu. The repair is in progress but the political trauma hasn't stopped. The political master wants blood; and the honest engineer may have to pay because the prime minister cannot and hasn't the power to protect honest civil servant.

Saturday, March 18, 2006

Maunsell, Sharma & Zakaria sues Utusan

Civil Engineering Design Consultant, Maunsell Sharma & Zakaria, the consulting firm for the design of Ampang-KL Elevated Highway (KLT) has sued Utusan Melayu (M) Bhd for RM50mil for libel.

Maunsell Sharma & Zakaria Sdn Bhd, filed the suit at the Civil Division High Court registry at Wisma Denmark in Jalan Ampang here yesterday through their lawyer D.P. Vijandran.

In the suit, the firm claimed that the Utusan Malaysia daily had published defamatory words in two page-one articles on Feb 9 and 10.

It said the articles alleged that there were many cracks in the highway and that these were caused by flaws in the engineering design of the highway.

Apart from damages, the company is seeking an injunction, an apology, interest and costs.

Maunsell Sharma & Zakaria is also the design consultant for Middle-ring Road Two (MRR2).

Yesterday, Works Minister Samy Vellu admitted in Parliament that defective design was one of the reasons for the cracks in the Middle Ring Road 2 (MRR2).

"The steel placement did not follow specifications," Samy said in reply to a question from Speaker Tan Sri Ramli Ngah Talib.

Ramli had interrupted Samy Vellu when the minister was giving a technical explanation for the cracks on the MRR2 highway in reply to questions from Datuk Ismail Sabri Yaakob (BN-Bera) and other MPs.

Samy Vellu said his ministry monitored bridges and flyovers but only the MRR2 was found to have "serious defects".

Friday, March 3, 2006

MRR2- Samy said Govt will pay for repair



Samy Vellu said the repairs to the cracks on the Kepong flyover of the Middle Ring Road Two (MRR2) are expected to be completed on June 30.

He said the German consultant firm, Leonhardt Andra and Partners, would complete the repairs in four months.

Samy Vellu said the repairs involved "structural strengthening". "It involved fabrication of the tie frames, better known as steel frames, in Kapar beginning March 1." Samy Vellu said the steel frames would temporarily replace all the crossheads at the flyover during the repair work. "The installation of the steel frames will begin at pillar No. 31 on March 15." Samy Vellu said the Public Works Department (JKR) had submitted the plans to the contractor for work to begin on Feb 27. "Crack mapping is being undertaken in 35 locations, that is 31 piers and two abutments," he said, adding that the procedure had been completed on 14 piers and one abutment.

Samy Vellu said crack mapping would be completed on March 12. Asked whether the flyover would be opened to traffic after June 30, he said the JKR would conduct an investigation and monitoring to determine whether it would be safe for use.

The minister had said earlier that the government would foot the RM40 million cost of repairs and claim the cost from the contractors of the flyover.

The repair was largely due to design problem. The project is a Turnkey-Design & Built Contract costing $238.8 million. Contractually, the contractor is fully responsible for the defects and at such shall be held liable for the damages incurred.

Sukmim, Bumi Hiway and KKM (Wilayah)was the main contractor.

How is it that the government would pay for the repairs? Is the minister nuts?