KOTA KINABALU: Authorities have given the green light for government staff to return to work at Wisma Dang Bandang today, after a ceiling was reported to have collapsed yesterday.
The government building houses several agencies including the Immigration Department, National Anti-Drug Agency, Statistics Department, Meteorological Department and Information Department.
Sabah Meteorological Department director Amirzudi Hashim said his staff came back to their 7th floor office as usual today.
"In fact, there was a misreport by some media about tremors here yesterday.
He said the department did not detect any tremor in the state capital.
Initial checks showed people may have felt some movement, which was probably due to the collapsed ceiling in the building.
Amirzudi explained that only the staff from Wisma Dang Bandang building were evacuated.
State Fire and Rescue Department assistant director of operations Misran Bisara said based on the department's assessment, the building is safe for use.
"There are no cracks, and the electricity supply and elevators are functioning properly. We can say that it is safe based on the Fire and Rescue Department's standards.
"As for the building structure, it will depend on the assessment by the state Public Works Department," he said.
Misran added that the tremors felt by the staff were due to the fallen auditorium ceiling on the 11th floor.
He also assured that the Meteorological Department did not issue any earthquake alert during the 3pm incident which saw hundreds of staff being evacuated.
"Perhaps it is due to the old structure of the building that caused the ceiling to collapse," Misran said.
Wisma Dang Bandang, which is a 38-year-old building at Jalan Tunku Abdul Rahman, is named after the wife of Sabah freedom fighter Datu Paduka Mohammad Salleh Datu Balu or also known as "Mat Salleh".
