FEDERAL Territories Minister Khalid Abdul Samad has ruled out landslide as the cause of the partial collapse of an under-construction condominium in Taman Desa yesterday.

He said a structural failure could have been the cause of the mishap.

“It was not a landslide. The structure collapsed from the sixth to first floor. From the preliminary reports we have received, there is a huge possibility that the collapse could have been caused by the structure which was not strong enough,” he told reporters in the capital after attending an event today.

“It could have been that the foundation of the building or the columns were not strong enough, it needs investigation.”.

Nevertheless, he said the cause of the collapse can only be ascertained after investigations by authorities such as the Department of Occupational Safety and Health (DOSH) and Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL), as well as the consultants appointed by the project’s contractor.

A stop work order has been issued and only those carrying out the investigation will be allowed on site.

He said the developers would have adhered to the design plans approved by DBKL.

“There is no such a thing as the contractor wanting to cut corners. There is no shortcut, nobody gains from such cases,” he said.

Khalid said the collapse is also not connected to a previous occurrence at the same place, which was caused by safety issues.

Meanwhile, in a statement yesterday, project developer Maxim Holdings Sdn Bhd acknowledged concerns by buyers and other quarters on the “giving way of The Address 2 swimming pool slab (6th floor) during concrete casting”.

Maxim assured that the cause of the collapse is being investigated, and that it will provide updates in the coming days.

“We assure you we are committed to ensuring the highest of building standards and the integrity of the development is of prime importance. We will spare no effort in ensuring that our obligations under the SPA (sale and purchase agreement) are fulfilled fully,” the statement read.  – February 15, 2020.