GEORGE TOWN: The state government has stepped up efforts to monitor hillside slopes and high-risk areas to prevent landslides and ensure public safety during this coming monsoon season, says Chow Kon Yeow.
The Penang Chief Minister said both the Public Works Department (JKR) and the Penang Island City Council are actively monitoring critical slopes, particularly in hilly and forested areas frequented by residents and tourists.
"They (the agencies) have dedicated geotechnical teams who carry out regular inspections to assess the condition of slopes and take necessary precautionary measures.
"Our priority is public safety and we are committed to taking pre-emptive action.
"Monitoring will continue in all high-risk areas and enforcement will be firm on parties that fail to comply with safety standards," he said during a press conference held at his office in Komtar on Friday (Sept 19).
Chow was responding to a question by the press on measures being taken by the state government to ensure safety during the monsoon season.
Chow said to further ensure public safety, the state government has ceased approving agricultural activities on slopes, noting the risk posed by earthworks on unstable terrain.
"We have not approved any new slope farming for many years.
"Any application that does come in must follow strict safety guidelines.
"We follow the Penang Safety Guideline for Hill Site Development 2nd Edition (2020), which outlines stringent requirements for any development or land use on hilly terrain.
"This is part of the state's broader strategy to manage environmental risks and prevent landslides, especially during heavy rainfall," he said.
When asked about concerns regarding a recent mud flood incident near a construction site in Guar Perahu, Bukit Mertajam, Chow said the issue stemmed from non-compliance with safety requirements and not from any failure in the state's broader hillside development or flood mitigation efforts.
"The mud flood affected around 50 residents near the site, and a stop-work order was issued.
"Work can only resume once the developer rectifies the situation and proves that all safety measures are in place.
"The incident should not be misinterpreted as a systemic failure, but rather as an isolated case of inadequate mitigation by a private project," he said.
