2 construction firms plead guilty over death, injury of workers

One worker died after falling into a pit, and another was injured when removing a mould from a shelf.

IPOH: Two construction companies were charged in the Sessions Court here today with negligence, which resulted in accidents causing the death of one employee and injury to another last year.

A director of Tunas Gemilang TKK Enterprise, Teoh Kim Kuan, and a director of Syarikat WIM Automation Jig & Moulding Sdn Bhd, Ng Wai Choo, pleaded guilty after the charges were read out separately to them before judge S. Indra Nehru.

Tunas Gemilang TKK Enterprise admitted to failing to ensure that a pit at the construction site was sealed or fenced up to prevent anyone from falling into it, resulting in an accident which claimed the life of a foreign worker, Sajid Ahmmud Dulal.

The accident occurred at the site of a 35-storey apartment project in Sitiawan, Manjung at 3.30pm on Dec 24, 2018.

The charge against the company was made under Section 10(e) of the Factories and Machinery Act 1967 and punishable under Section 51 (2) of the same law, which provides for a maximum fine of RM50,000 or imprisonment of up to one year or both upon conviction.

WIM Automation Jig & Moulding pleaded guilty to failing to provide a safe work procedure for a removing mould from a storage shelf which resulted in a foreign worker, Chan Myae Aung, sustaining injuries at RIMA Industrial Park, Lahat here at 10.15am on Aug 28, 2018.

The company was charged under Section 15(1) of the Occupational Safety and Health Act 1994 and punishable under Section 19 of the same Act, which provides for a fine of not more than RM50,000 or imprisonment of not more than two years or both, upon conviction.

Occupational Safety and Health Department prosecuting officer Hanisah Ahmad appeared for the prosecution while both the accused were unrepresented.

The court set June 18 for sentencing. - FMT