Housing Development at foothills in Ulu Kelang Area
by Seri Naga Leong Loong Hee
With the collapse of Highland Tower and the landslide that happened in a retired general’s house in Ulu Kelang area, I thought the government has issued a statement that there will be no longer development being allowed to be carried out in foothill near that area.
However today as I was cycling in that area, I notice they are clearing the land at a hill near Jalan Melawati 4.
I have attached the pictures for your easy reference. I think it’s time for our government to really learn from the past. With such indiscriminate clearing of land near foothills, we are having a Highland Tower incident in the making.
Not to mention it’s a waste of land by just building less than 100 houses and they are destroying the environment at the same time.
I hope DAP could voice this in Parliament and get our inefficient government to be more environment sensitive.
#1 by HJ Angus on Sunday, 10 June 2007 - 7:32 am
Was that the same general where bagfulls of money were discovered a few years ago?
Never got any explanation how the money was in his possession – maybe to buy emergency rations?
#2 by undergrad2 on Sunday, 10 June 2007 - 8:10 am
“I think it’s time for our government to really learn from the past.
I thought the collapse was due to the act of God, and no compensation was ever paid to the victims’ next of kin?? The government has nothing to learn.
Buyers, landlords, tenants, employees and, of course, insurance companies have everything to gain from the lesson.
Talking about accidents of this nature, there are accidents waiting to happen – and these accidents are not small. It has more to do than just falling roof tiles, and walls that crack.
#3 by silhouette on Sunday, 10 June 2007 - 8:24 am
As long as there is money to be made and as long as those in authority are willing to accept bribes, approval will always be given no matter what happened previously to other buildings built on precarious slope.
Only when those in the corridors of power are willing to come hard on local Government which approve the project will there be a stop to such dangerous development. But how could they take action on the local government when the people in power themselves are in someway the beneficiary?
#4 by Winston on Sunday, 10 June 2007 - 9:21 am
“I think it’s time for our government to really learn from the past.
I thought the collapse was due to the act of God, and no compensation was ever paid to the victims’ next of kin?? The government has nothing to learn.” – undergrad2
Not only that, the local council was absolved from any responsibility from the incident because it was smart enough to pass iron clad laws to protect itself from such responsibility.
What absolutely great foresight!!
Another factor was that our courts deem fit to uphold such regulations which encourage wrongdoing!
#5 by Tai Lo Chin on Sunday, 10 June 2007 - 9:28 am
Do we know what they are “clearing the land at a hill near Jalan Melawati 4” for? Talking of local government, it is like an unruly runaway horse, sometimes not listening to the Federal Government. Also engineers and surveyors should now have been put into notice that higher standard of safety is necessary for area around Highland Tower. One may blame local authorities for not caring about environment but should also take cognizance that before developing an area, the developer has to submit environment impact studies. There is also such a thing as VAR or voluntary assumption of risk on consumers/buyers part. There are many of whom like Highland tower area because it is (after last collapse of a block) comparatively cheap. Being situate on higher ground provides breath taking scenic views of the Klang Valley and the Petronas Twin Tower, and generally the area is quiet, almost exclusive….
#6 by undergrad2 on Sunday, 10 June 2007 - 9:29 am
It is called law.
#7 by Bigjoe on Sunday, 10 June 2007 - 9:37 am
Here is a question I want to ask. Is it possible, that there is just too many reports of such shenanigans? I mean you get numbed at the never-ending list of such suspcisions and complaint and nothing gets done about it.
Can voters be shaken of their complacency by just a list of such crapiness? If voters are generally apathetic and gets more apathetic every day because of their busy lives, after a while, they just get used to these news and don’t react to it.
I am not saying all these issues should not be highligted or listed. They must but it seems to make progress in opposition voice, something else need to be done or happen. Right now the economy is chugging along and while people are feeling the pinch of inflation, these issues are not making much headway while they are preoccupied with beating inflation and finding more income to cope. The disconnect between these cases and their everyday lives is real and seem quite far for many if not most.
I don’t know, I just feel numbed from coping with work, family and reading these things on the weekend..
#8 by pulau_sibu on Sunday, 10 June 2007 - 10:15 am
>I have attached the pictures
mana gambar itu?
#9 by undergrad2 on Sunday, 10 June 2007 - 10:27 am
“Another factor was that our courts deem fit to uphold such regulations which encourage wrongdoing!” Winston
If the same were to happen in countries like the United States or the U.K. public officials, architects and engineers and those responsible for their construction would have been jailed. There is evidence of criminal negligence.
God has nothing to do with it. People do.
#10 by undergrad2 on Sunday, 10 June 2007 - 10:31 am
Bill Salim Davidson, the lawyer who recently married his daughter off to the Raja Muda of Perak had an apartment there and was lucky not to be at home when it happened.
#11 by toyolbuster on Sunday, 10 June 2007 - 11:27 am
To the author of “Another Highland Tower in the making”;
You would hope for DAP to voice this out in Parliament, BUT have you ever voted for DAP in the past GEs. If you have, then you have every right to seek their voices, but if you haven’t, then you are party to this corrupt gomen.
#12 by pwcheng on Sunday, 10 June 2007 - 11:31 am
Unfortunately most of the voters, especially those from the rural or even semi urban areas cannot see the forest for the trees. An few extra lamp posts or tarring a few roads in their area will suffice to keep them happy.
The opposition must make inroads into this areas by changing their mindset that such tactics are only good for temporary aesthetics value and not ingrained value such as policies, corruption, abuse of power, good governance which are all important as this will affect the economy and the future of their children.
It is a fact all opposition knows this but they must strategize of how to get it THE RIGHT WAY to these voters.
#13 by shortie kiasu on Sunday, 10 June 2007 - 11:41 am
There are already rules and guidelines on hillside development, which were gazetted; but implementation by the civil servants is always a big problem in the country. They acted as Big little Napolean.
#14 by undergrad2 on Sunday, 10 June 2007 - 8:43 pm
The country has enough laws to deal and regulate activities but there is no will to enforce those laws for obvious reasons.
#15 by teckwyn on Tuesday, 12 June 2007 - 9:55 am
I visited the site the other day. It seems they are constructing a retaining wall and cutting the hillslope to access an another part of the hill. The conditions of the site are worrying.
The development is right above Tan Sri Ismail Omar’s new house (recently completed on the site of the old one which was destroyed by a landslide). The construction workers are not abiding by regulations: they are cutting a steep slope oblivious to the impact downhill. Silt-traps are overflowing. Culverts are cracked and in a state of disrepair. There is an access road that has not been maintained and is cut up by rill erosion.
Will MPAJ take notice?
#16 by abbas gany on Tuesday, 3 July 2007 - 10:52 am
Let those guys keep on Saying ” its the Act of God ” and when God really acts it is going to be even worse than the last flash floods that devastated Kuala Lumpur. This time they will have to use water scooters, dingies and sampans for the salvage and rescue operations.
It is going to come rest assured, God is not going to tolerate human nonsense and standy watching stupid humans destroying his creations, leaving his creatures homeless and becoming roadkills and eventually destroying mankind.
God has been patient with humans far too long but humans seem to be more arrogant, defiant, cruel, dishonest, greedy, etc etc and till todate none seem to realise the tell-tale signs of his forthcoming wrath.
Stupid people should stop buying properties on hilltops and hillsides. Why do they still risk their own lives and the lives of their loved ones. You see how stupid MAN can be.
YOU STOP BUYING HILLTOP AND HILL SIDE PROPERTIES THEN WE WILL SEE IMPROVEMENTS IN THE ENVIRONMENT AND THE BEAUTY OF THE HILL GREENERY.