RM70mil to Stabilise Land at Bukit Antarabangsa

THE STAR, fEBRUARY 21, 2009

A total of RM70mil will be spent to stabilise the landslide-hit area of Bukit Antarabangsa. Works Minister Datuk Seri Mohd Zin Mohamed said the Cabinet had approved the amount, which would be recouped after authorities identify the parties responsible for the tragedy that claimed five lives on Dec 6.

He said immediate work would begin to stabilise the area in Taman Bukit Jaya, Taman Bukit Mewah and Jalan Wangsa 9, where 44 houses are still deemed unfit for occupation.

Residents of the 44 homes should be able to return after six months, said Mohd Zin.

Work at the rest of the affected area was scheduled to be completed within two years.

“With the RM70mil allocation, the Works Ministry will appoint competent contractors to begin rehabilitation work. It could start as soon as next week,” he told reporters at his office after attending the Cabinet meeting.

He said his ministry had applied for the allocation from the Treasury on Dec 19 last year, but could not make any promises or announcements until the sum was approved.

Mohd Zin said that although it was not the Federal Government’s responsibility to rehabilitate the landslide area, it would take too long to wait for those responsible to come up with the funds.

“Actually, it is the responsibility of developers or land owners who had failed to obey the slope development specifications, and also that of the local authority, the Ampang Jaya Municipal Council and the Selangor state government,” he said.

As such, Mohd Zin said the ministry would identify those responsible and claim the cost of repairs from them.

When contacted, Bukit Antara bangsa Residents Association chairman Dr Mohamad Rafick Khan welcomed the move to stabilise the area.

“It is much needed. But what we also need is the landslide risk assessment study of Bukit Antrabangsa prepared by the Malaysian Public Works Institute (Ikram).

“We must understand the risks we are facing when living in Bukit Antarabangsa. There is no peace at night. We see the risks, but how dangerous it is, we don’t know,” he said.

Developer: We had no building project in area for over 20 years

THE STAR February 21, 2009

PETALING JAYA: A developer in Bukit Antarabangsa has claimed that it did not have any hillside development project or construction activity there for more than 20 years.

In a press statement yesterday, Superview Development Sdn Bhd stated that they had taken reasonable steps and had been responsible in conducting periodical maintenance works on land that they owned in the area.

Superview, which was the developer of Taman Wangsa Ukay at Bukit Antarabangsa, stated it was unable to comment on the possible causes of the landslide until investigations had been completed.

The developer also stated that it was not involved in the preparation of the technical report pertaining to the landslide.

However, Superview said it had appointed a geotechnical expert to advise and work with the appropriate authorities on any proposed remedial works in the area.

Hillside Projects To Go On

THE STAR February 5, 2009

PETALING JAYA: Despite the controversies involving hillside development, there will be no blanket ban on such projects.

Works Minister Datuk Seri Mohd Zin Mohamed, who disclosed this, said this was because the country’s population was increasing and land was needed for development.

He stressed that a total ban would be a waste of land, and proposed instead an immediate halt on the “tip fill” technique during construction at hillslopes which he said was the cause of landslides in Ulu Klang.

The technique involves the cutting of slopes, and removal and refill of soil.

“To totally prevent landslides or ensure zero risk, we have the option of freezing all construction projects on hill slopes. But this is not practical,’’ Mohd Zin said at the launch of a seminar on hill site development organised by the National Board of Engineers here yesterday.

The minister said there were many local professional engineers with wide experience and expertise in carrying out safe development work on hillsides “who are capable of reducing or minimising landslides.”

“The Government itself acknowledges the importance of national development by putting aside RM259bil for the construction of highways, infrastructure and other facilities,” he said.

He said that with a ban on the “tip fill” technique, the Highland Towers and Bukit Antarabangsa tragedies would not recur, adding that the slope division of the Public Works Department was currently inspecting existing tip-fill slopes and its retaining walls to ensure no breach.

The minister, however, has his detractors. His press conference was disrupted by an irate Bukit Antarabangsa resident who demanded to know about the report on the tragic Dec 6 landslide there.

And as the minister was making his announcement here, about 200 residents in Tanjung Bungah, Penang, were gathered to protest against what they claimed was dangerous hillslope development in their area.

The minister said development on hill sides should only be carried out on properly engineered slopes and under strict supervision and maintenance.

Following the Bukit Antarabangsa landslide which killed five people and forced thousands to evacuate their homes, Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak had called on local authorities to ban all hillside development.

Najib subsequently said the Government might adopt Hong Kong’s guidelines of hillside development.

Mohd Zin said hillslope development fell under the supervision of local authorities as they were the ones to issue approvals for construction to begin, adding that the Government and central agencies could only advise.

Developers keen on hillside projects must also be prepared to set aside a bigger budget to ensure all safety standards were met and the slopes were stable, he added.

Irate Resident Gatecrashes Press Conference

THE STAR February 15 2009

PETALING JAYA: An irate Bukit Antarabangsa resident gate-crashed a press conference conducted by Works Minister Datuk Seri Mohd Zin Mohammed yesterday, demanding the report on the tragic Dec 6 landslide.

The man’s persistent questioning took Mohd Zin, who was fielding questions from reporters after launching a seminar on hillside development, by surprise.

“Excuse me, my name is Dr Rafick and I’m a resident at Bukit Antarabangsa, and I want to know when the report on the landslide will be out,” he spoke up in the midst of questions from other reporters.

When Mohd Zin told him “to respect” his press conference and that he was addressing the reporters, the man argued that “this was a matter of national interest.”

After the press conference, the man approached the minister again just as the latter was sitting down for his tea break despite attempts by other parties to calm him down.

The man, Dr Mohamed Rafick Khan Abdul Rahman, claimed he had written several e-mails to the Public Works Department, Public Works Institute of Malaysia (Ikram) and the ministry’s office for a copy of the report.

“There have been no replies so far,” he said.

When Mohd Zin told him that the report still had to be discussed at the Cabinet, the man protested but later acquiesced to leave the room after giving the minister his card.

Met later, Dr Rafick said he intended to initiate a lawsuit against the Government for a copy of the report.