Published: Sunday December 7, 2008 MYT 4:16:00 PM
Updated: Sunday December 7, 2008 MYT 7:54:30 PM
Review ongoing hillslope projects, Najib tells all state govts
PEKAN: Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak asked all state governments to review ongoing hillslope projects to avert landslides similar to Saturday’s incident at Bukit Antarabangsa in Hulu Klang, Selangor.
He said a study had to be conducted with the assistance of agencies such as the Public Works Institute of Malaysia (Ikram) to ascertain whether the projects were being developed in hillslopes at risk of landslides.
"If they are in areas at risk of landslides, I hope the state government will discontinue the implementation of these projects," he told reporters after the presentation of sacrificial cows for Aidil Adha and spectacles for the elderly, in Pekan.
Najib's wife, Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor, was also present at the function.
Najib was asked to comment on the landslide in Taman Bukit Mewah and Taman Bukit Utama in Bukit Antarabangsa Saturday which destroyed or damaged 14 bungalows and claimed four lives.
He said projects on hillslopes at risk of landslides which had yet to be started should not be implemented at all.
"We seek the cooperation of all state governments to deny approval and issue of the development order for the projects in the highrisk areas or there could be a repeat of the Bukit Antarabangsa tragedy and we would be none the wiser from the incident," he said.
Najib said the important thing was not to succumb to the lobbying by developers to have their hillslope projects approved.
Replying to a question, Najib said the possibility of another landslide in Bukit Antarabangsa "depends on whether there has been overdevelopment in that area or not".
On the need for a body to identify highrisk hillslope areas, Najib said: "Ikram is already there. They can do it. The question is whether we want to listen to their technical advice or not."
On another matter, Najib said the government was prepared to face the eventuality of major floods.
"That's the SOP (standard operating procedure). We have faced floods for a long time. There is no problem in terms of preparation," he said. - Bernama
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