CEO of Malaysia’s MRT quits over fatal accident

The chief executive officer of Mass Rapid Transit Corporation in Malaysia on Tuesday resigned after an accident at the MRT construction site in Kota Damansara Monday night, leaving at least one person dead and two others missing.

 

According to an online report of The Malay Mail, the resignation of , Datuk Azhar Abdul Hamid, Hamid will take effect on Wednesday.

 

Azhar was appointed as CEO of MRT Corp on Sept 1, 2011.

 

“Yes, I have resigned, because of yesterday’s accident. As the head of MRT Corp, I am taking personal responsibility for the incident and this is the correct thing to do. I have informed the Chairman of MRT Corp., Tan Sri Dr Ali Hamsa, of my decision,” The Malay Mail quoted Hamid as saying.

 

At around 8:30 p.m. on Monday, a 490-tonne concrete span had collapsed from its berth to a guideway which is under construction as part of the MRT Corp's expansion project. The incident reportedly happened within the former Rubber Research Institute (RRI) near Kota Damansara.

 

Malaysian Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak on Tuesday ordered a full investigation on the incident.

 

The construction works in Kota Damansara were part of the Klang Valley MRT project which aims to connect the Greater Kuala Lumpur area via three-line rail transit network. The construction of its first line began in 2011 and is expected to be completed in 2016. —Elizabeth Marcelo/NB, GMA News