PETALING JAYA: MPs in Kuala Lumpur have urged authorities to release the preliminary report on the recent Jalan Masjid India sinkhole and to implement a mapping system to safeguard residents in vulnerable areas.
Cheras MP Tan Kok Wai said the City Hall (DBKL) should reveal its early findings on the incident and address concerns whether Kuala Lumpur is safe.
He also agreed that there should be some form of mapping system to alert the public of areas that are prone to sinkholes.
“There should be no more delays on the preliminary report or proper briefings to the public. They deserve to know what actually happened during the incident,” he said yesterday.
This was after a tourist from India fell into the 8m-deep sinkhole in Jalan Masjid India.
The woman, identified as Indian national Vijayalaksmi, fell into the sinkhole that appeared beneath her feet while she was walking with her family near the Malayan Mansion in Jalan Masjid India, causing residents and businesses in the vicinity to be edgy.
Tan urged the authorities to reveal whether the Jalan Masjid India tragedy had issues related to piping, sewage or limestone cavities under the roads.
“DBKL or the Federal Territories Minister should release a preliminary report immediately.
“We have different parties, professionals and even laymen discussing it, and this could cause unnecessary concern,” he added.
Bukit Bintang MP Fong Kui Lun said there should be some sort of a mapping system to alert the public if there are similar situations.
“In fact, I want DBKL to explain the reason behind the sinkhole. However, it must be done carefully not to cause unnecessary panic or fear.
“We need to inspect the whole area as the safety of the public comes first. The authorities must conduct a review on all the areas, even those underground.
“They can use the latest technology or machines to test the underground before coming up with the mapping,” he said.
Wangsa Maju MP Zahir Hassan disagreed, saying that it is not necessary to come up with such a map.
“Personally, I think to come up with such a mapping system is irrelevant as it will involve a lot of agencies.
“Instead, DBKL should conduct public engagement from time to time and raise awareness on the warning signs for sinkholes.
“We cannot assume, for example, if there are small cracks on the pavement or road on the ground surface, there isn’t a huge hole underneath.
“The public needs to know what they can or how to report if they see any signs of sinkholes. This will be a better solution to address the issue,” Zahir said.
