Lam Thye: Local authorities must ensure safety of lifts in public flats

PETALING JAYA: All local authorities must take proper measures to make sure lifts in all the country’s public flats are safe to use, The Star reported Tan Sri Lee Lam Thye saying today.

"They must replace old lifts, and they must allocate a sufficient budget for the maintenance and replacement of such facilities.

"They must never allow it to recur as it may have disastrous consequences in the future," Lee said.

Lee added that “the relevant authorities” have to boost their enforcement and “companies responsible for the construction and maintenance of the lifts must ensure the regular checks”.

Lee also revealed that “52 incidents involving lifts and 33 involving escalators were recorded by the Department of Occupational Safety and Health (DOSH) from 2012 to September 2018”, reported the daily.

"Most of the cases occurred due to substandard maintenance, wrongful use and vandalism," he said.

He also said that the accident “should serve as lesson to all local authorities”.

Eight people were injured when the lift at a PPR Kampung Kerinchi block plunged from the fifth floor yesterday afternoon.

One of the victims was 10-year-old boy who had his legs broken.

In an earlier report, Federal Territories Minister Khalid Abdul Samad said DOSH will be investigating the cause of the incident while the lift's manufacturers from South Korea will also be conducting a forensic investigation.