RANAU: The Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation has assembled local and foreign experts and technological scientists in a study to identify areas which pose high risk of earthquake.
Works Minister Dato Sri Fadillah Hj Yusof said the government is looking into whether they should come up with a guideline or policy that requires all buildings to meet the Eurocode standard, which is the ability to withstand earthquakes up to magnitude eight on the Richter scale.
However, Fadillah said the construction cost of a building that could withstand earthquakes of that magnitude would be 30 per cent more expensive.
He said this in a press conference after inspecting buildings and infrastructure that were damaged in the Ranau earthquake and mud floods during a working visit here yesterday.
He said the Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation was currently carrying out profiling works with the experts to identify risky areas.
“We will categorize the areas as high, medium or low risk.
“After that the experts will submit their recommendations to the government to decide.”
If the recommendation becomes a policy, Fadillah said the government and the private sector would have to observe the Eurocode standard to build earthquake-resistant buildings in high risk areas.