PUBLIC COMPLAINTS BUREAU PROPOSES SPECIAL COMMITTEE TO PROBE BRIDGE COLLAPSE

KAMPAR, Nov 5 (Bernama) -- The Public Complaints Bureau (PCB) has proposed the setting up of a special committee under it to investigate the suspension bridge collapse incident on Oct 26 at the Kinta Selatan District Education Department Co-curriculum Centre near Sekolah Kebangsaan Kuala Dipang that led to the death of three pupils after they were swept away by swift waters.

Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister's Department, Datuk T. Murugiah, said the committee will however only be formed with the consent of Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak. "I'll seek the consent of the Prime Minister to set up the committee...this is on the request of the families of the three children for the PCB to carry out a transparent investigation into the cause of incident," he told reporters after visiting the families of the three children.

Murugiah said if it was agreed, the PCB would conduct an investigation separate from that by the Ministry of Education.

During the visits, Murugiah also donated RM1,000 from the Tamil Schools Education Foundation Fund to each family.

In the incident, N. Dina Deve, 11; V. Divya Shree, 12; and M. Devadharshini, 11, drowned after being swept away by swift waters while 19 other pupils were rescued. The group was among about 260 students who were participating in a 1Malaysia Camp organised by the Kinta Selatan Education District Office.

-- BERNAMA TAS MOZ PST