5 killed at PETRONAS- Aramco Refining Complex incident? Comprehensive investigation?Inquest? Prosecution? RCI?

PETRONAS- Aramco Refining Complex - Hopefully investigations, and subsequent prosecutions for the death and injury caused will not be compromised by reason of who are the owners?

5 dead and 2 injured in the explosion at the Pengerang petrol refining complex..  

It is a tragedy, and there much now be a comprehensive investigation into the incident - and there must be determination whether anyone, including the owners and Directors of the companies.

The Johor police Chief, was reported saying that police will only investigate if there is any element of sabotage, betrayal(khianat) or terrorist attack...

“Polis hanya akan membuat siasatan jika ada unsur sabotaj, khianat mahu pun serangan pengganas dikesan pada fasiliti berkenaan.“JBPM[Jabatan Bomba dan Penyelamat Malaysia] bertanggungjawab sepenuhnya siasatan tragedi berkenaan berikutan tiada unsur di atas dikesan, ” katanya[Ketua Polis Johor, Datuk Ayob Khan Mydin Pitchay].

NONSENSE - police must investigate to determine whether any crime was committed. This could also involve murder, manslaughter, etc ... Maybe the Malaysian police chief and the Minister can correct the 'wrong' understanding of the Johor police chief..

Now, Pengerang Refining and Petrochemical (PRefChem) and Petronas Directors could also be chaurged for MURDER under Malaysian laws, could they not - see the definition of murder in section 300(d) of the Penal Code, see 

Section 300  Murder(Penal Code)

Except in the cases hereinafter excepted, culpable homicide is murder-...(d) if the person committing the act knows that it is so imminently dangerous that it must in all probability cause death, or such bodily injury as is likely to cause death, and commits such act without any excuse for incurring the risk of causing death, or such injury as aforesaid.

Well, then if the human Directors of PRefChem or PETRONAS or Aramco did something(or did not do something) that resulted in a dangerouse work site - which now killed 5 persons, could they not be charged for MURDER? 

Fadhi Akmal Fadzil, Azarul Ashraf Nor Akmal, Norfazly Md Nor, Che Huzaidy Che Harun and Hadi Syafiq Jamil are dead, and they deserve JUSTICE. Company owners and Directors are the ones with the power to decide whether certain measures to ensure workplace safety or not, are they not. CEO and other employees can do only what the bosses orders or allows them to do.

To make situation worse, it was reported that this was the '...second fire in less than a year at the $27 billion Pengerang Integrated Complex (PIC) in Malaysia's southern state of Johor....'

The current sentences for offence under Malaysia's Occupational Safety And Health Act 1994 is patheticly weak - maximum seem to be fine of RM50,000 or 2 years imprisonment or both, and in most cases, it is just a fine of less than RM20,000 even when death occurs. Compound is available for many offences, so we do not even see full trials. Even when charged in court, the company representatives just plead guilty and accept the fine. 

This Occupational Safety And Health Act 1994, was enacted after the 1991 Bright Sparklers Fireworks Factory explosion in Sungai Buloh that killed 26 and injured more than 100 others. Royal Commission of Inquiry was held and, amongst their findings were: “Bright Sparklers Sdn Bhd is responsible. Its management knew they were carrying on a dangerous operation. “They had violated so many laws for which they and their executives must not escape prosecution.” However, no one was ever prosecuted in relation to the personal injuries/ property damage suffered or the loss of lives of the factory workers, neighbouring residents, passers-by, family and friends who had rushed to the site to help after they heard the first blast and saw the billowing smoke. 

The call for prosecution of Directors and officers of companies, when death and injury happens, is not that new but alas....have we seen any of the Directors and owners thrown in jail for their actions(omissions) that resulted in death?

As pointed out, though the laws governing safety at worksites in Malaysia are weak, they still could be used to send Directors and other officers in charge to prison.

More DETERENT LAWS would likely result in greater compliance of laws and safety requirements, and that should reasonably reduce deaths at worksites.

In this incident, that resulted in 5 deaths, let us start by a comprehensive investigation by the police, the fire departments, DOSH and other enforcement officers.

THEN, THERE MUST BE AN INQUEST - an inquiry into the deaths by the Coroner. Remember, the coroner will also be looking at ...

Section 337  Inquiries to be made by Magistrate (Criminal Procedure Code)

A Magistrate holding an inquiry shall inquire when, where, how and after what manner the deceased came by his death and also whether any person is criminally concerned in the cause of the death.

Well, was the death of the 5 by reason of non-compliance with the law and requirements to ensure a safe working environment?  These laws and requirements are to ensure a safe working environment, if not there will be incidents that can and will cause death or serious injury - and as such, it could be murder, or it could be murder or some lesser killing offences.

Would the Directors be liable? Yes, because they are duty bound to make sure laws to ensure no one dies or is seriously injured are complied with > The CEO or other employee managers cannot do anything unless the Directors says so...If the Directors say 'no need', then who is guilty? 

Many people happily like to be appointed Directors - but they forget that a Director has great responsibilities, not just to receive their 'hefty allowances and benefits' or use their decision making power to benefit 'friends or cronnies' - All decisions of the company is made by Directors, are they not. The only persons more powerful than Directors are the owners...or shareholders who can overule Directors' decisions...So, beware do not simply agree to become Directors of Companies...

So, what will happen now? Forgotten...'swept under the carpet'? Thorough investigations...followed by an INQUEST and/or prosecution of the accussed persons? Or Royal Commission of Inquiry?

Muhyiddin Yasin's new government is also now in the spotlight...what will they do?

Convid has just killed one - but this incident killed 5 persons - Fadhi Akmal Fadzil, Azarul Ashraf Nor Akmal, Norfazly Md Nor, Che Huzaidy Che Harun and Hadi Syafiq Jamil.

The earlier incident in Temerloh district killed 2 and also other earlier incidents - see

Investigate to determine criminal liability of ‘murder’ of two construction workers in Pahang, Malaysia (BWI MLC)

2 workers buried alive while working - Murder? Governmnent Failure? Industrial Manslaughter Laws? 

PEKERJA - 214 mati, 236 cacat, 6,112 cacat sementara(2019-sehingga Okt) - Penjarakan Pengarah/Pemilik - untuk tempat kerja selamat?

Workers dies/injured because of Company wrongdoings - but Directors not charged and imprisoned? Like 'Fine the CAR not the Driver/Owner?'

Pregnant Woman and 3 others dies at construction site - Why owners and Directors still not charged for the killing/'murder'??

 

 

 

 

Five Dead in Fire at Petronas-Aramco Refining Complex in Malaysia

By Reuters


March 16, 2020

KUALA LUMPUR — A fire killed five people at an oil refining complex in southern Malaysia owned by Petronas and Saudi Aramco commercial operations this year.

It was the second fire in less than a year at the $27 billion Pengerang Integrated Complex (PIC) in Malaysia's southern state of Johor. 

The massive project includes a refinery, which will process around 300,000 barrels per day of crude oil when fully operational, and petrochemical plants with annual production capacity of 3.3 million tonnes. 

Petronas [PETR.UL] and Saudi Aramco each have a 50% stake in the PRefChem joint venture, which owns and operates the refinery and some petrochemical plants at PIC.

Continue reading the main story

The Johor state fire and rescue department said the fire and a blast occurred on Sunday night at the diesel hydro treater unit, which was removing sulfur from raw diesel using hydrogen gas.

Other than the fatalities, one person has suffered burns, the fire department said, adding that the cause of the fire was under investigation.

Pengerang Refining and Petrochemical (PRefChem), the joint venture, said a thorough investigation was ongoing and that it was cooperating with authorities.

"The emergency response team is working closely with the relevant authorities and the situation is under control and the site is shut down," it said in a statement.

It also confirmed the five deaths and the injury.

In April 2019, an explosion and fire occurred at the plant's atmospheric residue desulphurisation unit (ARDS), a unit that removes sulfur from fuel oil, which is then used to produce gasoline. There were no casualties then.

The ARDS has been scheduled for operation by mid-2020, and full commercial operations for PRefChem was targeted for the second half of 2020. 

Malaysia's Pengerang peninsula sits between the Malacca Strait and the South China Sea, through which almost all the Middle East oil and gas bound for northern Asia's industrial powerhouses of China, Japan and South Korea is shipped.

The PIC project is state energy firm Petronas' biggest investment in Malaysia.

Saudi Aramco came on board in 2017, agreeing to pump in $7 billion in its biggest downstream investment outside the kingdom. It also agreed to supply up to 70% of the crude feedstock requirement of the refinery.

(Reporting by A. Ananthalakshmi and Mei Mei Chu; Editing by Christian Schmollinger, Tom Hogue, Giles Elgood and Louise Heavens) - New York Times, 16/3/2020

 

Five dead after explosion at Pengerang petrol refining complex in Johor

---

• Nation
• Monday, 16 Mar 2020
  12:43 PM MYT
  By JOHN BARRY

KOTA TINGGI: An explosion at a Hydro Diesel Treater Unit (HTU) in Pengerang Integrated Complex (PIC) has left five people dead.

The fire broke out on Sunday (March 15) at 11.18pm, with the Fire and Rescue department deploying a total of nine vehicles and 42 personnel from the Sungai Rengit, Sebana Cove, Penawar, Pasir Gudang and Larkin Fire Departments.

The operation, under the command of Assistant Fire Commander Pauzan Ahmad, required water from eight fire trucks and two fire hydrants.

The fire department was also assisted by some 50 personnel and eight vehicles from the Pengerang Central Emergency and Fire Services (CEFS), Pengerang Emergency Response Team (ERT), and the Pengerang Central Medical Facility (CMF).

Johor Senior Assistant Fire Commander Abdul Rahman Azezulkifle in a statement said that the operation, as of 11.15am on Monday (March 16), is still ongoing.

"We have recorded a total of seven victims, with one escaping safely, another suffering burns up to 70%, four confirmed dead and one missing," he said.
 

The missing victim was later found dead, bring the number of fatalities to five.

The cause of the fire is still under investigation. - Star, 16/3/2020

Faizul Ikhwan menunjukkan mesej Whatsaap daripada abangnya, Fadhi Akmal yang terkorban dalam tragedi kebakaran dan letupan di Kompleks Bersepadu Pengerang, Kota Tinggi, malam tadi. - NSTP/Mohamed Farid Noh

'Bila-bila masa boleh meletup...'

Oleh Mohamed Farid Noh

farid_noh@bh.com.my

 

KOTA TINGGI: “Hati-hati, jangan leka. Kerja bidang gas dan petroleum berisiko tinggi, bila-bila masa boleh meletup.”

 

Menyedari mereka bersama bekerja di Kompleks Bersepadu Pengerang di sini sejak tiga tahun lalu, Fadhi Akmal Fadzil, 28, beriya-iya menitip pesanan itu kepada dua adiknya, Faizul Ikhwan, 25, dan Faris Aiman, 20, malam tadi.

Malam tadi, Fadhi Akmal disahkan terkorban dalam insiden letupan di premis itu yang meragut lima nyawa.

Masih kaget dengan apa yang berlaku, Faizul Ikhwan sukar mempercayai apa yang didengarnya menerusi panggilan telefon pagi tadi.

“Jantung saya bagai terhenti apabila mendapat panggilan mengesahkan abang terkorban dalam insiden letupan malam tadi.

“Saya tak dapat tahan. Saya menangis semahunya sebelum menelefon ibu dan ayah di kampung.

“Abang kembali bekerja semalam selepas bercuti dua minggu di kampung kami di Sungai Petani kerana tahun ini dia tidak dapat cuti raya.

“Apa yang membuatkan saya ralat ialah tidak sempat bertemunya. Abang ada telefon nak jumpa sebab ada belikan mi sanggul yang kami berdua pesan.

“Abang baru beli rumah di Bayu Damai, Pengerang dan sibuk membeli perabot. Abang buat ubah suai sikit sebagai persediaan untuk berkahwin tetapi lain pula yang berlaku,” katanya ketika ditemui di Unit Forensik Hospital Kota Tinggi di sini, hari ini.

Lima mangsa dilaporkan rentung manakala seorang lagi parah dalam kebakaran dan letupan di Kompleks Bersepadu Pengerang, Kota Tinggi, malam tadi.

Dalam kejadian kira-kira jam 10.50 malam tadi, tiga lagi yang disahkan terkorban adalah Azarul Ashraf Nor Akmal, Norfazly Md Nor dan Che Huzaidy Che Harun.

Mayat mangsa kelima, Hadi Syafiq Jamil, ditemui anggota bomba jam 12.42 tengah hari tadi.

Seorang lagi mangsa, Arnado Alexander, dilaporkan parah apabila melecur 70 peratus manakala Mohd Saiful Amat melecur 40 peratus pada tubuhnya.

Sementara itu, Nor Efendi Ismail, 49, sekeluarga terkejut apabila mendapat khabar Norfazly yang juga adik iparnya, disahkan meninggal dunia dalam insiden itu.

Katanya, berita itu diterima menerusi panggilan telefon adik bongsunya, Nor Siti Fazila Ismail, 32, bagi memaklumkan kejadian menimpa suaminya.

“Saya kelu bila mendapat tahu. Adik saya dan suaminya mempunyai seorang anak berusia dua tahun... sedih saya memikirkan nasib mereka dua beranak selepas ini.

“Jenazah Norfadzly akan dibawa ke kampung di Lipat Kajang, Jasin untuk dikebumikan,” katanya. - Berita Harian, 16/3/2020

Operations at Pengerang Integrated Complex suspended to allow Dosh investigations

Monday, 16 Mar 2020 10:20 PM MYT

The blaze that broke out at Petronas’ Refinery and Petrochemical Integrated Development project in Pengerang, Johor early this morning. — Picture courtesy of social media/Persatuan Bangsa Johor

KOTA TINGGI, March 16 — Operations of the Diesel Hydro Treating Unit (DHT) at the Pengerang Integrated Complex (PIC), near here, which was razed after an explosion last night, are temporarily suspended to enable further investigation by the authorities.

State health and environment committee chairman R. Vidyananthan said the suspension order was issued by the Department of Occupational Safety and Health (Dosh).

“Our priority and focus today is to make sure the incident area is safe for workers and locals.

“So for now, give the relevant parties an opportunity to carry out investigation first and so that we can take the initiative to find other ways to improve the security in those areas in the future,” he told a media conference here, today.

Vidyanathan said the incident was also an isolated case, but said the investigation could take time, depending on the complexity of the case.

He said the bodies of the five victims who were killed in the incident had also been sent to Kota Tinggi Hospital for post-mortem.

“In the meantime, let the forensics perform their duties and then we will announce the results of the autopsy report,” he said.

Asked about the aid to be provided by the state government, Vidyananthan said he believed that Mentri Besar Datuk Ir Hasni Mohammad was considering the forms of assistance that could be provided to the victims and their families.

The fire at the diesel hydro treater unit at Gate 1, PIC, at 10.50pm last night, left five dead and another suffering 40 per cent burns to the body.

Those killed were identified as Fadhi Akmal Fadzil, Azarul Ashraf Nor Akmal, Norfazly Md Nor, Che Huzaidy Che Harun and Hadi Syafiq Jamil. — Bernama - Malay Mail, 16/3/2020

Tragedi kebakaran dan letupan di Kompleks Bersepadu Pengerang, malam kelmarin. - Ihsan Bomba

Tiada unsur khianat, serangan pengganas

Oleh Mohamed Farid Noh

farid_noh@bh.com.myTweet

JOHOR BAHRU: Tiada unsur khianat mahupun serangan pengganas dikesan dalam tragedi kebakaran dan letupan di Kompleks Bersepadu Pengerang, malam kelmarin.

Ketua Polis Johor, Datuk Ayob Khan Mydin Pitchay, berkata siasatan kes itu diserahkan kepada Jabatan Bomba dan Penyelamat Malaysia (JBPM) sepenuhnya bagi mengenal pasti punca kejadian.

“Polis hanya akan membuat siasatan jika ada unsur sabotaj, khianat mahu pun serangan pengganas dikesan pada fasiliti berkenaan.

“JBPM bertanggungjawab sepenuhnya siasatan tragedi berkenaan berikutan tiada unsur di atas dikesan, ” katanya.

Beliau berkata demikian pada sidang media di Ibu Pejabat Polis Kontinjen (IPK) Johor, di sini, hari ini.

Dalam insiden kebakaran dan letupan di Kompleks Bersepadu Pengerang yang berlaku kira-kira jam 10.50 malam Ahad itu, lima mangsa rentung manakala dua lagi parah.

Empat mangsa yang maut dan ditemui malam kelmarin adalah Fadhi Akmal Fadzil, 25, Azarul Ashraf Nor Akmal Zolkarnain, 28, Norfazly Md Nor, 32, dan Che Huzaydy Che Harun, 26.

Jenazah mangsa kelima, Hadi Syafiq Jamil, 28, yang dilaporkan hilang sebelum itu ditemui bomba kira-kira jam 12.42 tengah hari semalam.

Seorang lagi mangsa, dikenali sebagai Arnado Alexander, 28, parah apabila melecur 70 peratus manakala Mohd Saiful Amat, 29, pula yang berjaya menyelamatkan diri dilaporkan melecur 40 peratus pada tubuhnya.

Sementara itu, Pemangku Ketua Polis Daerah Kota Tinggi, Deputi Superintendan Nik Azaham Nik Aziz, berkata proses bedah siasat jenazah lima mangsa rentung tragedi kebakaran dan letupan Kompleks Bersepadu Pengerang akan mula dilakukan hari ini.

Nik Azaham berkata, bedah siasat berkenaan akan dilakukan pakar patologi dari Hospital Sultan Ismail (HSI) selepas mengunjungi tapak kejadian di Pengerang, Kota Tinggi, bagi mengambil sampel mangsa jam 11 pagi ini.

“Bedah siasat akan dijalankan sejurus selepas itu. Pakar patalogi juga akan mengambil data asid deoksiribonukleik (DNA) dari keluarga mangsa bagi tujuan pengecaman jenazah sebelum ia dapat dituntut, ” katanya ketika dihubungi di sini.- Berita Harian, 17/3/2020

Fire, explosion at Petronas' oil refining complex at Pengerang

Reuters

/

Reuters

March 16, 2020 11:56 am +08

KUALA LUMPUR (March 16): A fire and explosion occurred at the Pengerang refining and petrochemicals complex in southern Malaysia, state news agency Bernama reported on Monday, citing the Petronas-Saudi Aramco joint venture that runs the operation.

The incident occurred on Sunday night and an emergency response team has been activated, Bernama reported.

"The situation is under control," Bernama said, citing a statement. The news agency did not report any injuries or damage.

Petronas directed queries to the joint venture company Pengerang Refining and Petrochemical (PRefChem), which has not responded to a Reuters request for comment.

This is the second fire at the Pengerang Integrated Complex (PIC) in less than a year.

In April 2019, an explosion and fire occurred at the plant's atmospheric residue desulphurisation unit (ARDS), a unit that removes sulphur from fuel oil, which is then used to produce gasoline in a residue fluid catalytic cracker.

There were no casualties in the April fire, and Petronas said commercial operations at the refinery would start on time by end-2019. The ARDS has been scheduled for operation by mid-2020, Petronas has said.

The refinery, which will process around 300,000 barrels per day of crude oil once fully operational, is expected to sell fuel to customers in Malaysia and across Southeast Asia.

The PIC also includes a petrochemical complex with annual production capacity of 3.3 million tonnes.

Petronas and Saudi Aramco each have a 50% stake in PRefChem. - Edge Markets, 16/3/2020