KUALA LUMPUR — Selangor Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Amirudin Shari has dismissed claims that the landslide in Taman Melawati, which occurred following heavy rain on Tuesday, was caused by over-development.
Speaking at a press conference, Amirudin clarified that the last planning permission for the area was granted over a decade ago, and the affected site is primarily for bungalow developments.
He emphasised that the key issue lies in the maintenance of infrastructure such as roads and drainage.
“It’s not a high-density development, it’s more on bungalow lot development. Therefore, they went through the Environment Sensitive Area Technical Development Committee and they went through the entire process,” he said, as quoted by Malay Mail Online.
“So, the issue is with maintenance — maintenance of the roads and maintenance of the drainage that was built,” he added.
The landslide in Taman Melawati was triggered after heavy rainfall across Selangor and Kuala Lumpur on Tuesday, causing a 30-metre slope to collapse.
The landslide, which occurred at around 10am, affected four homes along Jalan E in Taman Melawati. These homes were evacuated, and the residents were temporarily relocated to the Dewan Orang Ramai Jalan E5.
When asked about potential action for the lack of regular maintenance, Amirudin stated that current efforts are focussed on search and rescue operations. He also noted that private landowners and developers responsible for higher plots on the slope had been informed of the landslide and told to take the necessary steps.
“There is no development on the landslide area itself. There are two plots of land — one here and another higher up, but the road where the landslide occurred leads to the development further up. The land where the landslide happened was recently transferred to new owners, and no new planning permission has been issued yet for that plot,” Amirudin said.
He pointed out that the blocked drainage, filled with rocks and soil, had caused water overflow over time, culminating in the severe situation.
Amirudin explained that the road involved in the incident is still considered part of the path used for the development further up and has not yet been handed over to the authorities.
He acknowledged that ground movement and soil from the upper developments could have contributed to the landslide, and he called for further inspection. Notices have been issued to the respective landowners to conduct thorough inspections.
On the matter of compensation for affected residents, Amirudin said that it would be up to the residents to seek recourse from the private landowners.
According the Sinar Harian, Amirudin highlighted that Taman Melawati is part of a high-risk area listed by the MPAJ, with the broader region being prone to landslides due to its limestone structure.
He said the landslide hotspot in Taman Melawati is one of 114 high-risk areas in the Ampang Jaya district, with over 600 locations identified as vulnerable across the district, marked in yellow, orange, or red zones.
“This area is on a long stretch of limestone that runs from Hulu Klang in Ampang Jaya to Batu Caves. We’ve raised this issue before, but it’s not feasible to relocate all the residents,” he said. – October 16, 2024