(From left) Low, Alvin and Kok speaking with residents at the Taman United retention wall collapse site.
A CITYWIDE audit of houses built on or near slopes should be carried out by Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL) amid growing concerns over public safety.
Seputeh MP Teresa Kok, who visited the Jalan Sepadu retention wall collapse site in Taman United, voiced concerns over structures extending to the edge of slopes.
She said this was a recurring pattern in several parts of the city.
“I have seen many houses in slope areas, including Taman Seputeh, Taman Desa and Bangsar, where extensions go right up to the edge.
“I cannot say for certain whether all of them are illegal, but they certainly look dangerous,” Kok told StarMetro.
She said DBKL and homeowners must take responsibility for ensuring that such structures do not jeopardise the safety of surrounding areas, noting that there had already been cases in Kuala Lumpur where residents were forced to bear the cost of remedial works following slope-related incidents.
“That is why this audit must be done now, before something else happens,” she said.
Kok also criticised the authorities for failing to act on repeated public complaints, particularly in hilly areas.
She said residents of the Taman United flats had on multiple occasions raised concerns about dangerous trees, stagnant drains and slope conditions, but no action was taken.
“This is not a new issue,” she said, adding that complaints had been channelled through Adu@KL as well as to her office.
Happy Garden and Continental Park Residents Association secretary Evelyne Low said the lack of clarity over slope ownership often caused confusion during emergencies.
“There are many hill slope areas and retention walls across the city,” she said.
“When something collapses, there is always uncertainty over who actually owns the slope and who is responsible.
“In the Taman United case, there was initial confusion among DBKL officers and even residents over ownership.”
She added that residents had repeatedly complained to DBKL, but no action was taken because it was assumed to be under the management corporation or joint management body.
Low said it was later confirmed that the slope fell under DBKL’s jurisdiction.
“That is precisely why an audit is so important, so there is no finger-pointing when something goes wrong.
“We should consider ourselves fortunate that no lives were lost.
“This should be a lesson, and it is time for a proper audit,” she said.” — By BAVANI M
