16th November 2007

Yang di Pertua,
Dewan Rakyat,
Parlimen,
Malaysia.

YB Tan Sri,

Motion under 18(1) on a matter of urgent definite public importance – the collapse of the RM4.5 million Perak State Park Corporation's two-storey administration building in Tasik Banding a sign of sheer public negligence

This is to give notice under Standing Order 18(2) to move the following motion of urgent definite public importance for the Dewan Rakyat sitting on Monday, Nov 19, 2007, namely:

“That under Standing Order 18(1), the House gives leave to Ketua Pembangkang YB Lim Kit Siang to move a motion of urgent definite public importance, viz: the collapse of the RM4.5 million Perak State Park Corporation's two-storey administration building in Tasik Banding a sign of sheer public negligence.

“On 14th November, Malaysians witnessed the spectacular implosion of the 16-storey 1,000-room New Frontier casino-hotel, collapsing the second resort that opened on the Las Vegas Strip half-a-century ago with 1,000 pounds of explosives.

“The precisely-planned and delicately-balanced demolition – to give way to a US$2 billion, 3,000-room mega resort Las Vegas Plaza, featuring a 500-ft tall Ferris Wheel similar in size to the famous London Eye, set to open in 2011.

“Malaysia has also our own implosion the same day, but it was a most shameful and ignominious one - the collapse of the RM4.5 million Perak State Park Corporation's two-storey administration building on a hill slope on the edge of Tasik Banding, Royal Belum State Park in Gerik.

“The collapsed structure consisted of 14 rooms, an office block, a showroom to sell orang asli goods, and a car park. It was completed in 2004 with RM4.5 million funded by Tourism Ministry. The second phase with 26 more rooms costs RM5 million and is funded by the Tourism Ministry.

“Such tragedy was no spectacular engineering feat but spectacular building failure and government negligence.

“Heads must roll for the shameful "implosion" of the Tasik Banding complex as this is evidence that Malaysia is even more entrenched as a Third World country instead of becoming a First World nation.

“An independent public inquiry is much needed to probe the cause of the incident and parties responsible for it. Parliament must have an urgent debate to show that Malaysia is ready for accountability and good governance.”

Thank you.

Yours sincerely,


(Lim Kit Siang)
Parliamentary Opposition Leader

(16/11/2007)