Jalan Pekeliling project site shut down

DBKL officers hauling up foreign workers without work permits at Lot 80930 in Sri Hartamas, Kuala Lumpur. - MUHAMAD SHAHRIL/The Star

KUALA Lumpur City Hall (DBKL) put a stop to works at a construction site in Jalan Pekeliling, Section 47, Kuala Lumpur indefinitely because the management violated working hours and had not settled outstanding summonses.

The project comprises a 35-storey mixed commercial building with 634 serviced apartment units and a two-storey commercial unit.

Previously, DBKL issued 13 summonses under Section 70B of the Street, Drainage and Building Act 1974 where each carries a maximum fine of RM50,000.

Its enforcement department director, Azman Mahmood, said the site would remain closed until the contractors paid the summonses and adhered to the rules.

“We have been monitoring the site since July,” he said during the Ops Tapak operation to check on two construction sites in Kuala Lumpur, namely Jalan Pekeliling and Lot 80930 in Sri Hartamas.

The Immigration Department, police and representatives of the Construction Industry Development Board (CIDB) were also involved in the operation by DBKL.

In Jalan Pekeliling, foreigners were seen scurrying away up the scaffolding and over the hoarding after they saw DBKL enforcement vehicles parked in front of the site.

DBKL detained 171 foreign workers between the age of 30 and 40 for not having any valid working permits.

Enforcement officers breaking open a wooden structure at the construction site in Jalan Pekeliling, Kuala Lumpur.

“The bulk of the foreigners are from Bangladesh and Indonesia, but we have also detained several foreign workers from China at the Sri Hartamas construction site.

“We suspect that they work at different construction sites despite having expired permits,” said Azman.

In addition, more than 300 workers did not have green cards issued by CIDB.

The green card shows that a worker has undergone a one-day “Safety Induction Course and Health for Construction Personnel” training that is required for all construction personnel.

Three summonses were each issued yesterday to both construction sites for violating the Street, Drainage and Building Act 1974, having illegal foreign workers and for workers not having the green card.

Azman urged contractors to follow rules and guidelines as operations are ongoing.

“We have received complaints from nearby residents about the noise pollution coming from both construction sites and that the work went beyond working hours.

“Foreign workers who do not have valid documents will be deported to their respective countries,” he said.

Azman said there were about 150 construction sites in Kuala Lumpur and from January to September this year, 96 summonses were issued.