WITH the prospect of some 100 new houses looming over their homes, residents of De Puncak Ukay in Taman Ukay Perdana, Ampang, want proof that the development is safe.
They want the Ampang Jaya Municipal Council (MPAJ) to reveal geotechnical and safety reports for the housing project on a steep hillslope in their neighbourhood.
MPAJ had approved the housing project consisting of 100 superlink houses on a Class IV slope in 2018.
Class 1 is the least severe in terms of terrain grading whereby slope angles are less than 15 degrees.
Slopes with angles greater than 35 degrees are classified as Class IV as they pose the highest risk.
De Puncak Ukay Residents Association (DePura) chairman Wan Zaidi Wan Jaafar said that residents had been asking for MPAJ to show them the documents related to the project’s safety for the past two years.
“We have been denied access to documents such as slope strengthening procedures, drainage and other geotechnical reports as they claim it is an integrity issue.
“But by not showing us, how can we be sure that it will be safe in the long run?” he asked.
Residents are also questioning the basis of the approval as they claim that it is based on a 2008 application.
Chairman of newly set up Steep Slopes Action Front, Datuk Nik Haidi Nik Mohamad said MPAJ should not have approved the project in 2018, based on a 10-year-old application.
“How can this be when there is a two-year limit to any development order issued?
“Under the Guidelines for Hillside and Highland Areas Development Planning 2015, any further project approvals should be subjected to the latest conditions set under the guidelines.”
He said that a resident-commissioned geotechnical report did not endorse having such a development on the slopes.
“We are not being emotional by showing our concerns but there is strong evidence to suggest that this development should not go on, ” said Nik Haidi.
StarMetro previously highlighted residents’ concerns in March 21,2018 (“Uneasy over Ampang hillslope project”) and in Nov 5,2018 (“Residents against hillslope development”).
At that time, MPAJ councillor Suzana Saharudin said she would arrange for a discussion between MPAJ, the developer and residents over the matter but no three-way meeting ever took place.
Zaidi and Nik Haidi said that several dialogue sessions with MPAJ were held but no satisfactory answers had been forthcoming.
“The residents here are the ultimate stakeholders.
“It is not enough for MPAJ to merely say that the project is safe, ” Nik Haidi emphasised.
Ukay Perdana and Bukit Antarabangsa are landslide-prone areas, the most recent taking place on May 30, when soil erosion at the bottom of a slope caused a retaining wall to collapse, leading to the evacuation of seven families living along Jalan Kelab Ukay 4.
An online petition against the new hillslope project was initiated a week ago by concerned residents.
At press time, almost 2,000 people signed the “We Don’t Want Another Landslide In Ulu Klang” petition addressed to MPAJ and Ampang MP Zuraida Kamarudin.
StarMetro has reached out to MPAJ but has yet to receive a reply at press time.
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