The contractor who built the RM690 million Serdang Hospital has refused to comment on the string of ceiling collapses since 2011, six years after the hospital opened its doors.
When contacted, Ranhill Bhd refused to say anything, stressing that the matter was still under investigation by the Public Works Department (JKR).
This followed Health Minister Dr S Subramaniam's (right)statement that the hospital's contractor could be hauled to court after the seventh reported ceiling collapse in Hospital Serdang.
Neither Subramaniam nor Works Minister Fadillah Yusof have publicly identified the contractor.
However, according to Ranhill's annual reports, published prior to the conglomerate's de-listing in 2011, the work was undertaken by Ranhill subsidiary Ranhill Civil Sdn Bhd.
Although Ranhill Civil has since been dissolved, Malaysiakiniunderstands that its parent body still has a representative who sits on meetings with JKR on the matter which has raised public ire.
In its 2004 report, Ranhill said the "major showpiece hospital is well ahead of schedule and on budget due to Ranhill's innovative designs and engineering capabilities".
Ranhill's warranty expired in 2007
It was also the first hospital in Malaysia to be built using a hybrid Industrial Building System (IBS) - steel and precast concrete structures - using steel elements instead of concrete beams and columns.
Responsible for everything from design, engineering, construction and landscaping, Ranhill's warranty for the building, however, only extended to two years after commencement of operations.
Serdang Hospital opened its doors in December 2005, while the first reported ceiling collapse was in January 2011.
As such, it is believed that the government may also be investigating other contractors who had undertaken maintenance work following the expiry of Ranhill's warranty.
Serdang Hospital is not the only problematic government project which Ranhill had built.
According to the Auditor General's Report 2012, another subsidiary, Ranhill Engineers and Constructors Sdn Bhd, failed to deliver a RM46 million shrimp project although it received a RM42.2 million interim payment.
Khazanah Nasional's subsidiary Blue Archipelago Bhd, which commissioned the project, told the attorney general this was because Ranhill Engineers lacked equipment and financial standing.
When contacted, Ranhill Bhd refused to say anything, stressing that the matter was still under investigation by the Public Works Department (JKR).
This followed Health Minister Dr S Subramaniam's (right)statement that the hospital's contractor could be hauled to court after the seventh reported ceiling collapse in Hospital Serdang. Neither Subramaniam nor Works Minister Fadillah Yusof have publicly identified the contractor.
However, according to Ranhill's annual reports, published prior to the conglomerate's de-listing in 2011, the work was undertaken by Ranhill subsidiary Ranhill Civil Sdn Bhd.
Although Ranhill Civil has since been dissolved, Malaysiakiniunderstands that its parent body still has a representative who sits on meetings with JKR on the matter which has raised public ire.
In its 2004 report, Ranhill said the "major showpiece hospital is well ahead of schedule and on budget due to Ranhill's innovative designs and engineering capabilities".
Ranhill's warranty expired in 2007
It was also the first hospital in Malaysia to be built using a hybrid Industrial Building System (IBS) - steel and precast concrete structures - using steel elements instead of concrete beams and columns.
Responsible for everything from design, engineering, construction and landscaping, Ranhill's warranty for the building, however, only extended to two years after commencement of operations.
Serdang Hospital opened its doors in December 2005, while the first reported ceiling collapse was in January 2011. As such, it is believed that the government may also be investigating other contractors who had undertaken maintenance work following the expiry of Ranhill's warranty.
Serdang Hospital is not the only problematic government project which Ranhill had built.
According to the Auditor General's Report 2012, another subsidiary, Ranhill Engineers and Constructors Sdn Bhd, failed to deliver a RM46 million shrimp project although it received a RM42.2 million interim payment.
Khazanah Nasional's subsidiary Blue Archipelago Bhd, which commissioned the project, told the attorney general this was because Ranhill Engineers lacked equipment and financial standing.
Ceilings elsewhere also falling
Serdang Hospital is also not the only public medical facility where ceilings have caved in.
On March 15, Harian Metro reported that 20 ceiling slabs near its cafeteria fell at the Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia Hospital (HUKM) at about 11am, injuring an elderly woman.
It is believed that this is not the first time such an incident has happened in HUKM.
At a staff gathering on Feb 18, HUKM director Dr Raymond Ali reportedly made reference to an earlier incident where a portion of the ceiling at the hospital had collapsed, endangering public safety.
Meanwhile on Apr 18, 2012, Bernama reported that 10 patients were terrified when the ceiling at two rooms at the Klinik Kesihatan Jinjang collapsed, after heavy rain.
The national newswire reported no injuries as patients and staff managed to evacuate, but medical equipment costing hundreds of thousands of ringgit were damaged.
Neither the Works Ministry nor JKR responded to Malaysiakini's requests for comments.
Serdang Hospital is also not the only public medical facility where ceilings have caved in.
On March 15, Harian Metro reported that 20 ceiling slabs near its cafeteria fell at the Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia Hospital (HUKM) at about 11am, injuring an elderly woman.
It is believed that this is not the first time such an incident has happened in HUKM.
At a staff gathering on Feb 18, HUKM director Dr Raymond Ali reportedly made reference to an earlier incident where a portion of the ceiling at the hospital had collapsed, endangering public safety.
Meanwhile on Apr 18, 2012, Bernama reported that 10 patients were terrified when the ceiling at two rooms at the Klinik Kesihatan Jinjang collapsed, after heavy rain.
The national newswire reported no injuries as patients and staff managed to evacuate, but medical equipment costing hundreds of thousands of ringgit were damaged.
Neither the Works Ministry nor JKR responded to Malaysiakini's requests for comments.
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