The roof of the 50,000-capacity Gong Badak stadium in Terengganu collapsed at about 7.30am today.

In the incident, 60 percent of the roof at the stadium collapsed, including that above the royal box at the grand stand.

Eyewitnesses told Malaysiakini that several vehicles were crushed by the falling roof.

stadium sultan mizan gong badak 020609 Freelance journalist Sazali Mohd Nor told Malaysiakini that the high roof at one end of the one-year-old stadium had collapsed.

The low roof on the other end of the stadium was unaffected.

Malaysiakini learnt that the stadium's consultants were worried about the integrity of the roofs which were built by a foreign contractor.

The RM270 million Sultan Mizan Zainal Abidin Stadium, the biggest stadium in the east coast, was built to host the 2008 Sukma Games.

It was officially opened by the king, Tuanku Mizan, last May. The all-seater multi-purpose stadium is often used by the state football team.

MB Ahmad Said visited site

While the police have cordoned off the stadium, council workers were busy clearing up the debris.

All 50 stadium staff were reported to be safe.

However a team from the Fire and Rescue Department and the Civil Defence Unit were at the scene to check if there were any victims trapped under the rubble.

Terengganu Menteri Besar Ahmad Said inspected the crash site this morning and was expected to hold a press conference later today.

In an immediate reaction, PAS' Batu Burok assemblyperson Dr Syed Azman Syed Ahmad Nawawi has called on the relevant authorities to investigate the incident.

Bernama reported that the collapse started at the middle of the stadium where the VIP enclosure and royal box were located.

In a related development, a sports meet involving local universities' staff which was to start tomorrow at the stadium has been postponed.

Muhyiddin: Who is responsible?

Meanwhile, Deputy Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin expressed his dismay with the collapse and urged the state government to urgently investigate the matter.

muhyiddin yassin universiti malaya 020609 "Sometimes we are not satisfied with the contractors who were given responsibility (to build the stadium). There is usually a consultant to ensure that the construction will go smoothly, but did that happen?" he asked.

"And there would be another party who would approve the construction work, but was it done accordingly?

"Have they conducted investigation on this? Or was it caused by natural disaster? Everything seems to be uncertain," he told reporters in Kuala Lumpur when asked to comment on the roof collapse.

He said it was up to the state government now to pursue those who were involved in constructing the stadium.

"The state government has to investigate the responsible people and check whether the (project) is still under warranty or not. It is all up to the state government," he said.