Nation, NST DEC 6 2006
by Rina De Silva and Zuriani Raus

KUALA LUMPUR: Bukit Gasing residents took their case on land clearing for a hill project to the Kuala Lumpur City Hall yesterday. Bukit Gasing Joint Action Committee Chairman Derek J. Fernandez submitted a 15-page memorandum to a City Hall officer after failing to meet mayor Datuk Ruslin Hasan.

The memorandum comprised a three-page letter by Fernandez and signed by representatives of Environment Protection Society of Malaysia, WWF, Maxwell Towers Owners Association, Fraser Towers Owners Association, Cameron Towers Owners Association, Section 5 Residents’ Association and Ruykun Tetangga Gasing Indah.

It includes four pages of photographs showing before-and-after pictures of the site, a 1994 Geological Society of Malaysia report titled Geology and Hillside Development and a Nov 22 letter to Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Badawi.

Residenrs alleged that the developer Sanctuary Gasing Sn Bhd (previously known as Gasing Meriden Sdn Bhd) had been clearing land at the hill for the development of 142
bungalows.

They claimed the developer had cleared a large portion of the land and made a road without putting in soil traps to prevent soil erosion.

Ruslin has been reported as saying that the developer was doing a soil testing for a ‘small area’, for which no approval was required from DBKL.

Fernandez said residents feared a massive landslide if the project continued because of the unstable soil structure of the hill.

Maxwell Towers Owners Association chairman Victor Oorjitham said what the developer was doing constituted destruction of the environment.

“If development is permitted, it will end in a tragedy.”

Oorjitham referred to the Geological Society of Malaysia report, which stated sedimentary rocks, comprising sandstone with interbeds of shale were found in Bukit Tunku, Damansara, Bukit Pantai, Kampung Kerinchi and Bukit Gasing areas.

He made a reference to views reportedly expressed by University Kebangsaan Malaysia’s Geological Engineering expert Professor Dr Ibrahim Komoo who said no
development of any kind should be allowed on Bukit Gasing especially in areas exceeding 15 degrees gradient because of a danger of landslides and soil erosion.

Oorjitham said Bukit Gasing residents wanted to participate in DBKL’s discussions with its technical committees and inter-governmental agencies to determine if it was safe to
develop buildings on Bukit Gasing.

“We want our experts to be given the right to be at every meeting where these matters are discussed. Our experts have no financial interest but are concerned about the safety
of the people,” he said.

Section 5 residents’ association chairman Edward Lee said the authorities should consider the safety factor and not wait for a disaster to occur.

“Lives are at stake. There is no way they can guarantee the safety of residents of the project proceeds,” he said. - NST