BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN: A company was handed a BND40,000 fine by the Magistrates’ Court in Bandar Seri Begawan for failing to comply with a demolition order issued for its fire-damaged building in the capital.
According to court documents, the defendant owned the building at Lot 100, Kampong Pusat Bandar, Mukim Kianggeh, which was severely damaged in a fire on May 27 and 28, 2021.
Following a report, the Authority for Building Control and Construction Industry (ABCi) inspected the building on June 3, 2021 and concluded that it was unsafe for occupation. The extent of the damage also prevented officers from carrying out an internal inspection due to safety concerns.
ABCi subsequently issued a closure notice requiring protective hoarding to be erected around the site to safeguard the public. The defendant sought a one-week extension before completing the installation on June 14, 2021.
However, the abandoned building continued to pose a safety risk. In March 2022, another fire broke out at the premises, reportedly involving a trespasser who was later charged in court.
ABCi later sought updates on the condition of the building and invited the defendant’s representatives to attend discussions on the next course of action. No response was received and the scheduled meeting was not attended.
On January 30, 2023, ABCi issued a demolition order requiring the building to be demolished within three months, between February 13 and May 12, 2023.
Although consulting engineers acting on behalf of the defendant later obtained permission to enter the site to conduct an assessment, inspections after the deadline found that no demolition work had commenced.
During investigations, one of the defendant’s directors told ABCi that the demolition had not been carried out due to financial difficulties.
A subsequent inspection by the Public Works Department in June 2023 confirmed that the building remained structurally unsafe and should not be occupied until extensive repair works had been carried out.
By June 2024, the building had still not been demolished. ABCi subsequently engaged a contractor to carry out the demolition works between April and October 2024. The works were completed without any financial contribution from the defendant.
The defendant was charged before Senior Magistrate Azrimah Abdul Rahman with failing, without reasonable excuse, to comply with a demolition order under Section 35(1) of the Building Control Act (Chapter 256), an offence punishable under Section 35(5) of the same Act. Deputy Public Prosecutor Atikah Husaini appeared for the prosecution.
Court records also noted that the defendant had no previous convictions under the Building Control Act. - Borneo Bulletin/ANN
