Errant crane operator flees country

KUALA LUMPUR: Police believe the crane operator involved in last Thursday's incident that resulted in the death of a woman driver in Jalan Raja Chulan here fled the country barely two days after the incident.
A police source told theSun that the suspect, a 51-year-old Indonesian, is already on Interpol's Red Notice list – an alert notice against a person wanted by national jurisdictions for prosecution or to serve a sentence based on an arrest warrant or court decision.
"We (police) have also checked with the Immigration Department for the suspect's whereabouts but the investigators learnt that he had escaped from Malaysia on Aug 27.
"Police will seek Interpol's assistance to locate the foreigner," he said.
When contacted, a city Immigration Department officer told theSun that "we can't comment on the case and we did not receive any report from the police".
On Aug 25, the operator fled the construction site near Royal Pavilion Hotel here after a 500kg crane hook fell 20 floors and slammed into a Perodua Kelisa driven by Chin Khoon Sing, 24.
She died on the spot in the 7.15pm incident.
Kuala Lumpur police chief Commissioner Datuk Amar Singh said police have commenced investigations on the mishap and the case is classified as causing death by negligence under Section 304A of the Penal Code.
Meanwhile, a Department of Occupational Safety and Health (DOSH) spokesman said its investigators are still in the midst of concluding their probe.
He, however, would not comment further on the action that is going to be taken against the company and the contractor who supplied the crane.
It was reported that DOSH director-general Datuk Mohtar Musri said a stop-work order had been issued for construction at the tower project pending investigations.
He said there were many parties investigating the incident, including the contractor and the company that supplied the crane.
DOSH believes that the crane hook may have fallen after a rope supporting it snapped.
Those guilty of violating regulations under the Occupational Safety and Health Act 1994 and the Factories and Machinery Act 1967 could be jailed up to two years or fined up to RM250,000 or both.
A spokesperson for the construction company, Beijing Urban Construction Group (BUCG) (M) Sdn Bhd, has suspended work on its hotel project, pending advice from the authorities.
It is learnt that BUCG is the lead contractor for the project by Harmoni Perkasa Sdn Bhd near Pavilion KL, with Yekon Equipment (M) Sdn Bhd being the crane equipment owner and Sufiyan Enterprise, the crane operator.
"We have suspended all work until further advice from the relevant authorities," he said when contacted.