Law minister finds ‘very, very serious cracks’ at KL court complex

Following complaints about dirty toilets at the Kuala Lumpur Court Complex, a visit by de facto Law Minister Liew Vui Keong found that the court building also appeared to suffer structural problems.

He further found that some 84 courtrooms were without adequate air conditioning services.

In his maiden visit to the courthouse since assuming his present role, Liew said he was disappointed to find “very, very serious cracks" in many parts of the building.

The main dome and the top floor ceiling of the courthouse were observed to be leaking, he added.

“I don’t want to have a major disaster in this court, (I don’t want the court) to compromise the safety of everyone in this building.

“So I have instructed the Palace of Justice (POJ) management team to immediately give me a report (about the structural problems of the court) and then I will submit it and inform the cabinet.

“And (I will) ask funding from the Finance Ministry to ensure that the building’s structural problems are remedied as soon as possible,” he told a press conference after the inspection.

Liew also requested for engineers to thoroughly inspect the building.

Malaysiakini observed deep cracks in several pillars at the courthouse.

Previously, the courthouse displayed signs warning of falling tiles from the roof of the building.

The court complex was completed in 2007 and cost RM290 million to build. The Public Works Department (PWD) is responsible for maintaining the building.

During the inspection, Liew learned that the breakdown of the court’s centralised air conditioning system had affected 84 courtrooms, where mobile air conditioning units have been used instead.

“I noticed that the air conditioning in this court is very appalling.

“(This is) suffocating for the judges, lawyers, litigants and the members of the public who come to the court. This is not healthy and not conducive for the court to function.

“I have instructed the POJ management to provide proper mobile air conditioning units immediately,” he said, adding that “critical courts” would be prioritised.

Janitor contract breached

Toilets in the court complex were previously not cleaned for weeks after janitors went on strike and claimed they had not been paid since Ramadan. 

Today, Liew chastised the sanitation contractor in charge for failing to supply 120 cleaners to the courthouse and thus had violated terms and conditions of the contract. The contractor in question is Perfect Three Solutions Sdn Bhd.

“Certain days they only provided seven workers, despite the fact that payment was duly made to the contractor.

“So I personally find this completely unacceptable and a fundamental breach of the terms and conditions of the contract.

“I think this should be reviewed immediately and if (the contractor) needs to be terminated, it should be done because there has been a fundamental breach (of contract),” he told the same press conference.

When asked if the government intended to sue Perfect Three Solutions, Liew said that was the prerogative of the POJ management as they had signed the contract.

According to the government’s MyProcurement website, Perfect Three Solutions was previously awarded an RM5,806,425.60 contract to not only clean up and beautify the court complex but also to provide landscaping and pest control services.

However, the tenure of the contract nor when it was awarded are not stated.

Chief Justice Richard Malanjum previously organiseda gotong-royong (mass volunteering drive) to clean up the courthouse in response to the strike. 

Liew and his deputy Mohamed Hanipa Maidin were accompanied by Justice Malanjum and staff from the POJ management team and the PWD in today’s inspection. -Mkini