Viral pix of roof collapse is just repair work: USM

GEORGE TOWN: A photo, which allegedly showed collapsed roofs of a USM hostel in Sungai Dua here, which went viral is not what it is made out to be, according to USM deputy vice-chancellor (student affairs and alumni) Prof Datuk Adnan Hussein.
He said what it showed was work done to replace the old roofs at two blocks of the Desasiswa Cahaya Gemilang at the Sungai Dua campus and not as claimed.
He said people had misunderstood the picture by thinking the roofs had collapsed but actually the contractor had dismantled the old roof to install a new one.
He added the roofs were leaking at the 32-year-old buildings and so had to be replaced.
He said the 350 students housed in the affected blocks have been placed in new hostels pending the completion of the work.
"The work to install the new structures will take about three months," he told a press conference, stressing the building structure was not damaged.
Social media was abuzz after the photo went viral with may netizens expressing their concern over what happened.