GEORGE TOWN (June 18): The collapse of a massive structure from atop the keris-shaped 21-storey Menara Umno here is opening politically-loaded questions about its design and structural safety.

The issue has even drawn unease about the role and responsibility of current federal Opposition head Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim as he was the state chairman of Umno, as well as Deputy Prime Minister, when the building was constructed.

Current Penang Umno chairman Datuk Zainal Osman responded to an allegation that works for Menara Umno had begun in 1995 before the building plans were even submitted to the local authority in 1997, by referring all questions on the matter to Anwar.

Zainal, who was chairman of current building owner JKP Sdn Bhd until April this year, told a press conference that the most qualified person to answer questions regarding Menara Umno is Anwar, as he was the party’s state chief.

Anwar was sacked from the party and government in 1998.

Stressing that “Anwar knows everything”, Zainal said the current state party leaders did not have any positions at that time and only inherited control of the building premise upon assuming posts in the state committee.

The Penang Umno headquarters has been housed in the building which was originally owned by South-East Asia Development Corporation. It was later sold it to Amanah Capital. JKP Sdn Bhd, which is fully owned by Finance Ministry Inc, bought over the building in 2005.

The DAP’s Tanjung MP Ng Wei Aik had yesterday questioned Gerakan as the lead party in the former BN-controlled state government for allegedly allowing the construction of the building to commence without the building plan being submitted to the local authority.

Ng alleged that the MPPP had on December 23, 1995, issued a special permit to the building’s contractor – two years before the first plan was submitted on July 31, 1997.

The 38m vertical concrete beam and 58m metallic pole that was attached to it collapsed during a thunderstorm on June 13, leaving a deep crater on MacAlister Road, and causing two deaths.