PRIME MINISTER Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim has ordered a comprehensive investigation into the offshore platform accident that claimed the lives of three contractor workers in waters off Terengganu and Kelantan on Sunday.
In a statement posted on X, Anwar said the Government viewed the tragedy seriously and stressed that workplace safety measures must continue to be strengthened to protect workers across the country.
“A thorough investigation is being carried out by the relevant authorities to determine the cause of the incident,” he said.
The Prime Minister also conveyed his condolences to the victims’ families and expressed hope for the recovery of the injured survivor.
“My condolences to all the victims’ family members and I pray they are granted strength and perseverance in facing this extremely difficult ordeal. May the victim currently receiving treatment be blessed with a speedy recovery,” he said.
Meanwhile, police have launched a comprehensive investigation into the offshore platform accident that killed three contractor workers and seriously injured another at the Sepat Floating Storage and Offloading (FSO) facility off Kuala Terengganu on Sunday.
Kuala Terengganu police chief Azli Mohd Noor said the incident occurred at about 12.50pm while the workers were believed to have been boarding a suspended rescue boat to descend into the sea for maintenance work beneath the offshore structure.
However, the rope or hook securing the vessel is believed to have detached, causing the boat and all four workers onboard to plunge into the sea.
The workers who died in the incident were identified as Ahmad Fiqri Zakaria, 38, from Batu Berendam, Melaka; Muhammad Faezuan Hakim Mohammad Bustamam, 28, from Kuantan, Pahang; and Nik Muhammad Hafifi Asri Ab Majid, 38, from Bandar Indera Mahkota, Pahang.
A fourth worker, Mohd Taufik Mohd Ruslan, 37, from Banting, Selangor, suffered serious injuries and remains under treatment at Hospital Sultanah Nur Zahirah.
Azli said officers from the Criminal Investigation Department had been dispatched to the offshore site, located approximately 150 metres from Kuala Terengganu waters, to determine the exact cause of the tragedy.
Authorities are examining whether negligence, equipment failure or other criminal elements may have contributed to the fatal accident.
“At this stage, the case is being investigated as a sudden death report. However, further investigations are being conducted to establish the actual cause of the incident.
“If there are any criminal elements, the case will be reclassified and taken over by the Criminal Investigation Department for further action,” he said while speaking at the hospital’s Forensic Medical Department.
He also urged the public to avoid speculation and refrain from spreading unverified information regarding the incident, particularly on social media.
The tragedy has renewed scrutiny over safety compliance and emergency operational procedures in Malaysia’s offshore oil and gas industry as investigators continue efforts to establish the circumstances behind the deadly fall. - May 25, 2026
