KUALA TERENGGANU: Several parties involved in the construction of the Sultan Mizan Zainal Abidin Stadium are to meet the Public Works Department today over the collapse of the stadium's roof on June 2. 

The meeting at PWD's headquarters in Putrajaya is part of the investigation into the incident, a source said, adding that the report on the incident would be released on Dec 15.

The source is " bemused" by how the government has decided that the stadium's contractor is responsible for repairing the roof though the investigation is not over. 

Youth and Sports Minister Datuk Ahmad Shabery Cheek was recently reported as saying that the contractor would have to bear the cost of the repairs because the stadium was still under warranty. 

Ahmad said the investigation papers for the incident were tabled at a post-cabinet meeting on Nov 6 and the cabinet ordered the contractor to repair the stadium. 

"If they are still calling some of the players, it means that the investigations are incomplete. Why then did the minister say the contractors were responsible?" the source asked. 

The roof of the RM292 million stadium caved in a year after it was constructed. 

A committee was set up by the Works Ministry to investigate the incident and it was given six months to complete its work and prepare a report. 

The committee comprised 10 people from the Public Works Department, Board of Engineers Malaysia, Institute of Engineers Malaysia, Malaysia Structural Steel Association, Board of Architects Malaysia, Institute of Structural Engineers Malaysia, National Audit Department, Attorney-General's Chambers and Construction Industry Development Board.

Menteri Besar Datuk Ahmad Said has said he told the state PWD to look into the defects immediately after the 12th Malaysia Games last May.
Then, three weeks before the roof collapsed, he called a meeting with the PWD and reminded it to look into the problem, demanding that the defects be rectified soon as the end of the defect liability period was fast approaching.