Batang Kali landslide: Campsite operators careful, detailed in their planning, says seasoned adventurer

THE operators of the ill-fated private campsite in the Batang Kali landslide are known for their cautious and detailed planning when it came to outdoor activities, says Brandon Chee, 44, a wilderness medicine instructor and qualified paramedic.

"They are good, kind and humble people," said Chee, who had known them for 12 years.

Describing the camp operators as nature lovers, Chee said they had started the camping facility out of passion after the movement control order was lifted.

"Even before this, they loved camping. I used to bring them out with me and from observation, they were never the type who did things the 'cincai' way," said Chee.

While agreeing that outdoor activities would always come with an element of risk, Chee said that it was also the onus of the hosts to ensure that their guests had been sufficiently briefed on the possible risks.

When asked if the incident could have been avoided, adventure tour and event organiser James Chee (not related), 58, described the incident as unfortunate instead.

"No one could have predicted that the Batang Kali landslide could move such a long distance down and cover such a wide area," he said.

Moving forward, one of James' suggestions was for future campsite operators to engage in the services of either a geologist or engineer to conduct suitability studies of a site before allowing campers into the grounds.

Another way would be to carry out reconnaissance trips to an intended campsite to study the terrain and find out if the area had a history of landslides or flash floods.

The Forestry Departments for Selangor, Perak and Pahang advised outdoor enthusiasts to postpone their hiking and picnic activities at recreational areas following the current spell of bad weather resulting from the monsoon season.

Eco forest parks and hiking spots in forest reserves under the supervision of the Forestry Department would be closed until further notice.