I refer to the Malaysiakini report Weak foundation caused bridge collapse .

I am a structural engineer with 25 years of working experience as a consulting engineer in structures. I believe the structure failed due to inadequate provision of primary supporting structural elements in terms of either inadequacy in structure member sizes or in their strength of both reasons.

Firstly, the concrete anchor blocks (identified as of size 2'-8'x2'-8"x5'-10") are far too tiny to hold the cable-stayed suspension bridge. Based on my approximate calculation, not considering any resistance provided by the weight of soil backfill (as the blocks ere reported to be casted just below the ground level), the size of the above block could only resist 5-10% of the forces induced in the pull of the suspension cable had it been fully loaded to its maximum usage.

In other words, you will need a block size 10-20 times their current size to adequately resist the fully developed cable force. Secondly, the main suspension cable appears too small in size to sufficiently support the weight and live loads imposed on them.

What is more important here is that due to the oversight or greed of some person or persons, this resulted in the collapse of the bridge and the tragic loss of three young innocent lives.

Not only are the parents the only ones who mourn the loss of their precious children. The entire nation should also grieve with the parents and pray for victims of this tragedy.

In their haste and rush to complete the construction of the bridge, the contractor could have ignored many factors as his thoughts were filled with concerns of completing the bridge on time as this was a most ‘prestigious’ piece of work reputedly carried out under the direction of the prime minister.

It was meant to be a showpiece of the country's ‘1Malaysia’ programme. Proper investigations need to be carried out and the culprits identified and appropriate deterrent action taken against them.

It is atrocious and irresponsible to cover up the incident saying time heals all wounds as has happened in many such incidences in the past. It is time that we learn from our past mistakes and 'walk the talk'.

In fact, I believe this is a fine moment for the government, in the run-up to the ‘1Malaysia’ concept propagation and promotion, to come out and take due responsibility for the accident, expressing remorse, sorrow and atonement to the families of the victims and compensating them appropriately.