Lambor (fifth from left) with some of his staff in front of the station building.
KUCHING: The completion of the Kwasa Sentral Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) Station (formerly known as Taman Industri Sungai Buloh Station) will be a success story for the Sarawakian Bumiputera community, thanks to Lambor George – an Iban from Betong.
The station is one of the six stations under Naim Group of Companies’ work station packages awarded in 2012 and part of the multi-billion ringgit Klang Valley Mass Rapid Transit Line 1 project in Peninsular Malaysia.
Featured as a model station, the Sungai Buloh Station is slated to be the first station to be completed in Line 1.
However, Lambor – who has carved a name for himself as the station’s construction manager – had never once envisaged he would have this rare opportunity to be involved in such a specialised and complex project, according to a press statement from Naim yesterday.
“I joined Naim in 2001 as a site supervisor. Prior to that, I was involved in construction work for roads, bridges, buildings and complexes.
“In Naim, I was involved in work for township and oil and gas infrastructure projects. I was later promoted to senior supervisor and thereafter to construction manager. Now, I’m the construction manager for the Kwasa Sentral station.”
“This project is indeed an eye-opener and a great learning experience for me personally,’ Lambor said.
He shared that he and his team faced a myriad of challenges during construction work, which commenced in 2013. As the project involved multi-disciplinary work, they had to deal with many parties, including the client, project delivery partner, subcontractors and suppliers which made communication difficult.
“Additionally, as a major part of the work involved working in confined spaces, this posed another challenge, especially from a safety point of view,’ Lambor explained.
He stressed on the importance of planning, discipline, commitment and teamwork when the going gets tough.
It was critical to plan ahead and identify the risks that may affect implementation of the project, with work being monitored daily. All team members must be disciplined and committed to get the job done.
“Very importantly, we must trust and support each other, because as a team, we can achieve so much more,’ Lambor added.
Concerning the station, Lambor said the work is progressing well with more than 99 per cent completed and expected for completion later this month, with minor and interfacing works ongoing until end of the year.
He expressed his appreciation to Naim for the opportunity to be involved in the project and hoped for more such opportunities for the Bumiputera community.
He voiced his sincere thanks to his superiors Sivakumar Ramasamy and William Ng, and the experienced representatives from MMC-Gamuda especially Lee Ban Hee and Chiew Hwa Aik for their support.
“Being involved in a mega project which will benefit the Peninsular Malaysia community in years to come is an honour for me. With the experience and knowledge garnered, I’m confident to take on complex projects in the future.
“I look forward to greater involvement, especially by the Bumiputera community in such projects. The road to success, although long, is very fulfilling.
“However, there is no short cut to success – we have to work very, very hard for it. But once we get there, it feels great. I will continue to learn,’ Lambor enthused.
Staircase and escalator at the station.
Lambor (centre) guiding his staff.