Bandar Kuching MP, YB Dr. Kelvin Yii paid a visit to the Department of Occupational Safety and Health (DOSH) Sarawak branch yesterday to seek clarification and better understand the procedures to ensure the ongoing Autonomous Rapid Transit (ART) project complies with construction safety standards, following complaints from residents whose daily lives have not just been disrupted by the project, but also have concerns on their safety and security due to ongoing contructions.
YB Dr. Kelvin Yii said that the residents of Taman Stutong Indah, who have been directly affected by the construction works of the ART, turned to his service centre for assistance after their complaints to Sarawak Metro went unanswered.
He explained that his team first received complaints last month and immediately engaged with affected households to better understand the issues they were facing. These included inadequate safety measures at the construction site, excessive dust and debris, construction waste not disposed properly, and sudden road diversions without prior notice.
Following the residents’ concerns, his Special Assistant, George Lam, had written to Sarawak Metro to highlight the problems and successfully facilitated an initial round of three-part discussions. Several remedial measures were agreed upon, yet no follow-up action or implementation has taken place since. Lam subsequently sent another letter to Sarawak Metro, but the company have failed to provide any response.
As a result, YB Dr. Kelvin Yii brought the matter to DOSH Sarawak to determine whether the construction complies with safety standards, especially given that the works are being carried out in close proximity to residential areas.
More concerning, he noted, was that the alignment of the ART track had been changed from the original plan, which was along the median of Jalan Canna as stated in the earlier Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) report, to the current construction taking place right next to the residential homes, sparking further dissatisfaction among the residents.
During the engagement, DOSH Sarawak assured that they will intensify monitoring of the project. This will include regular patrols by their Safety Patrol Unit (SPU) to the ART site at least once every two weeks, as well as compliance audits not only on Sarawak Metro as the client, but also on the project designers to ensure safety requirements are incorporated into the design and adhere to the Construction Work Design and Management (CDM) regulations.
In addition, DOSH will be conducting direct audits on-site to ensure that contractors strictly adhere to all safety regulations throughout the construction process.
He stressed that as the main implementing agency, he hopes Sarawak Metro are willing to engage openly with the affected residents and demonstrate accountability, and to try allay their concerns. While he understands that there will definitely be disruptions due to the construction itself, but what cannot be compromised is the safety and security of those around and affected by the construction itself.