The Malaysian Insight

THERE are over 150 high risk slopes that need stabilisation in Gombak and Hulu Langat districts in Selangor, said state executive councillor Izham Hashim.

“After the floods in December last year, many of the slopes have been categorised as high risk,” he told reporters at Taman Bukit Permai 2 in Ampang today, the scene of a landslide yesterday evening which claimed four lives.

He said most of these have  been categorised as high risk recently and stabilisation work will be done by prioritising the ones with highest risk.

Izham said yesterday’s incident in Taman Bukit Permai 2 was unexpected as there was no previous indication it was landslide prone.

“It caught us by surprise because this place was not categorised as high risk,” he said.

“We would have evacuated the residents immediately if there was any indication but there was none.”

The exco said there were no cracks spotted on the road at Taman Bukit Permai 2 before the landslide.

Residents earlier told The Malaysian Insight they filed a complaint prior to this incident on soil movement but no action was taken.

The landslide in Taman Bukit Permai 2 at 5.54pm yesterday claimed four lives and left one person injured, apart from causing damage to 15 houses and 10 vehicles.

Police identified the dead as A. Mahendra, 36, E. Ramasamy, 58, Mohd Saifullah Ridzuan Ishak, 34, and Chong Siew Kim, 85. 85-year-old Cheng Kim Cheng did not sustain any injuries.

Ampang Jaya police chief Mohamad Farouk Eshak said the deceased were taken to Ampang Hospital and were identified by their family members.

The Housing and Local Government Ministry allocated RM1 million for clean-up work that will commence once the area is declared safe.

It was eported that occupants of 48 houses in the affected area were ordered to evacuate.

Selangor Menteri Besar Amirudin Shari said the Public Works Department and Malaysian Institute of Public Works will be conducting soil studies in the area in the next few days. – March 11, 2022.