The Institution of Engineers Malaysia (IEM) is willing to offer technical assistance and opinion in the investigation into the recent Tanjung Bungah landslide incident which had killed 11 workers on Saturday.

Its president Tan Yean Chin said the institution has over 40,000 members and is affiliated to several international engineering organisations where many of its members are learned and experienced practitioners in their own field of expertise who will be able to offer their expert opinions on the tragic event.

Tan said many construction incidents were due to contractor's failure to engage professional engineers to carry out the design, endorsement, and supervision in facilitating the construction works.

Therefore, he said the engineering consultant of the project should have full-time representatives at the site to supervise and monitor to ensure that the contractor appointed complied with all safety and design requirements.

“All parties involved in the construction shall be responsible to ensure any incidents of mishaps and failures at the construction site can be prevented.

“The institution is deeply saddened by the tragic event,” he said in a statement today.

In the incident at 8.57am on Saturday, the 11 victims were working in the basement of the 50-storey building when earth on a slope caved in.

Tan said based on observations, the Tanjung Bungah Development is not on the hill slope but on the land adjacent to the hill slope.

He said this type of constructions are common in areas with land constraints such as Kuala Lumpur and many developed cities such as Hong Kong and Singapore.

“The strengthening measures of slopes include soil nails, ground anchors, rock strengthening measures for permanent slopes and retaining walls.

“However, the professional engineers shall be responsible to determine the appropriate construction method based on the information and data available such as the Soil Investigation Report and other information,” he added.

- Bernama