Technical hurdles prevent consultant from completing study
Mapping studies to identify potential sinkhole risks within the administrative area of Subang Jaya City Council (MBSJ), Selangor, have been delayed as consultants struggle to obtain critical soil investigation data.
Subang Jaya deputy mayor Mohd Zulkurnain Che Ali said the city council’s appointed consultant required more than the initially slated six months to complete the task.
“The consultant has requested an extension because the soil investigation data is still being prepared.
“In addition, the mapping work has not yet been fully completed,” he said.
Zulkurnain told StarMetro the study was originally scheduled to run from Dec 1, 2025, to May 30, 2026.
However, technical constraints in data collection have forced a timeline revision.
When asked if any high-risk zones had been identified, Zulkurnain said the list of areas had not been finalised as the consultant was still reviewing and analysing the data.
“Mitigation measures have not been officially determined.
“Proposed action plans will only be drafted once all technical findings are finalised,” he said.
He added that once the analysis was complete, the consultant would present the findings to MBSJ’s top management and city councillors.
In August 2024, Zulkurnain announced that the city council would undertake this underground mapping exercise following public concern over ground stability.
MBSJ Zone 3 councillor EJ Christopher said it would be in the public interest to publicise the findings once the study concluded.
“The aim of making this information known is to ensure public safety.
“Identifying high-risk areas allows MBSJ to be proactive rather than reactive,” he said.
Christopher noted that the fatal Jalan Masjid India sinkhole in Kuala Lumpur in August 2024 – where an 8m-deep sinkhole swallowed a tourist from India – served as a grim reminder for the city council to speed up the process.
He said that residents in MBSJ jurisdiction had also suggested marking high-risk areas to increase awareness.
“Residents I met recommended regular geophysical surveys and public education on spotting early warning signs such as ground depressions,” he added.
Christopher said the mapping exercise was crucial for early identification of small issues, such as a pipe leak that could cause water to seep into the soil and make it unstable.
“We had an incident in January 2022 at Lestari Perdana in Seri Kembangan, where a drain collapse and landslide occurred, believed to be caused by underground water leaking from sewerage pipes,” he said.
