Samy: Heavy rains contributing to Parliament House roof leak

KUALA LUMPUR: Heavy rainfall has contributed to the leakage from the roof of Parliament House but some critics don't want to accept it, Works Minister Datuk Seri S. Samy Vellu said.

He said the critics, who sit in the office, don't realise that the rain pattern has changed throughout the world. "Even in England and United States, there has been floods after a heavy downpour," he told reporters after delivering a keynote address at a seminar on "Technology Management for Enterprises" here on Tuesday. Samy Vellu said the government has approved RM12 million to undertake a review of the Parliament House, constructed 50 years ago, and propose the necessary repairs.

"Of the RM12 mil, RM4 mil would be used for the review while the remaining RM8 mil would be used for immediate repairs," he said. He said the contractors were undertaking partial work on the water proofing of the Parliament House but had to stop due to the continuous heavy rains. "There has also been no proper maintenance of the water outlets as there were plants as well as rubbish clogging them, causing the water to flow out elsewhere," he said.

Samy Vellu said a paper would be submitted to the Treasury requesting for the allocation to undertake the additional repair work and the water proofing in Parliament.

"We have decided to station two to three engineers to supervise the water proofing work in Parliament. They will be there until the completion of the work," he said. Samy Vellu said some question why the water proofing work was not undertaken during the RM90 mil renovation works in 2005. "At that time, there was no leaking problems and the roof was in good condition," he said.

Samy Vellu also lamented that even the racks to put up the suits in the Parliament has been "snitched" by some people.

Mr. Samy Vellu is a shame for all Malaysian