Panic enveloped the Penang legislative assembly building lobby this morning when several gypsum plastered cornices gave way from the ceiling.

penang state assembly ceiling drop 230708 pointing.jpg The falling cornices brushed the shoulder of a personal bodyguard of Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng and shattered on the floor. The bodyguard escaped unhurt.

The incident happened when some 50 people, comprising journalists, cameramen and former assemblypersons, were glued to the live proceedings of the assembly sitting on television.

The loud crash jolted those present and for a moment many thought the ceiling was on the verge of collapsing.

ceiling penang state assembly 230708 Lim, who came out from the assembly hall for a break, saw the commotion and immediately instructed state executive councillor Lim Hock Seng to direct the Public Works Department (PWD) to carry out repair work and conduct a thorough inspection on the building.

He also took a swipe at the previous administration for failing to carry out repair works to protect the about 200-year-old heritage legislative building.

PWD blamed

Opposition leader Azhar Ibrahim, who was a executive councillor in the previous Gerakan-led state government, blamed PWD for not carrying out their routine inspection on government buildings.

penang state assembly ceiling drop 230708 ceiling.jpg "PWD was supposed to conduct checks on all government buildings, at least once every six months.

"Obviously the department had failed to do so," he said.

Built near the British Fort Cornwallis in the early 1800s, the state legislative building originally served as the police recorders courts and then as magistrate courts.

It was built in the style of Greek temples with classical pediments held up by gleaming white colonnades.