Collapsed Second Penang Bridge section built by local contractor

By Opalyn Mok

GEORGE TOWN, June 7 — The section of the Second Penang Bridge that collapsed yesterday evening was the Batu Maung Interchange, a separate package from the main bridge, undertaken by local contractor Cergas Murni Sdn Bhd.
The company, which is registered with the Construction Industry Development Board (CIDB) as a Class G7 contractor, was awarded the interchange project in 2010 and it took over site possession on May 19, 2010.
The Batu Maung Interchange is Package 3A of the Second Penang Bridge project.
The RM152 million interchange project involves the construction of four directional ramps to form the Batu Maung Interchange to connect the existing Bayan Lepas Expressway to the Second Penang Bridge and marine main bridge.
It was a section of one of the ramps (Ramp Two) that collapsed yesterday. It is feared four people could have been killed in the rubble while three people were injured.
The interchange was originally expected to be completed in December last year but it was delayed and the latest completion date was slotted for next month.
Cergas Murni, which began operations as a Class B registered contractor in 1991 and is now a Class A contractor, has several large projects under its belt — the East Coast Highway Phase Two Package 9A (RM202 million), Package 9B (RM86 million), Package Three (RM224 million) and the Bukit Kuang Bridge under the Eastern Corridor Economic Region project (RM190 million).
The company has also received ISO 9001:2000, ISO 14001:2004 and OSHAS 18001:2007 certification since 2005.
In yesterday’s incident, two foreign construction site workers and a female motorist were injured when the section of the ramp collapsed at about 7pm.
As at midnight, Penang deputy police chief Datuk Abdul Rahim Jaafar had dismissed earlier reports that four people were believed to have died in the incident.
He only confirmed the three who were injured and treated at the Penang Hospital and said police are still trying to determine any fatalities.
Fire and Rescue Department personnel were still trying to extricate a car, believed to have been buried under the rubble, using a crane as at 2am.
When visiting the site late last night, Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng said safety audits should be conducted not only on that package but on the whole Second Penang Bridge project.
“They need to conduct a full safety check, not only on this section, but the whole bridge span and I hope the ministry will also appoint an independent consultant to conduct safety audits on the project as public safety is paramount,” he said.