A drone shot of the landslide area in Batang Kali. — Filepic
REPAIRS to the slope in Batang Kali that collapsed in December last year will be completed by March next year.
Works that started in May are now at 38% completion while the access road to Genting Highlands is expected to reopen about a month or two after the slope repair works are completed.
State infrastructure and agriculture committee chairman Izham Hashim said Selangor government was tasked to handle the slope repair works.
“We approved a special allocation of RM19mil for it, with the project given through direct tender as it was an emergency.
Izham says the completed report on the Batang Kali landslide has been available on the Nadma website since Oct 17.
“After researching the most suitable technical method (for repairs), we found the terralink wall system was best suited for the site,” he said in reply to Lee Kee Hiong (PH-Kuala Kubu Baharu) who asked about updates on the repairs at the landslide area.
In the landslide at a campsite, 61 people were rescued and 31 killed.
Rajiv Rishyakaran (PH-Bukit Gasing) raised the question at the state assembly on behalf of Lee, who was unable to attend due to health reasons.
“Public Works Department (JKR) Malaysia was tasked with handling the landslide investigation report.
“That report was completed and declassified, and has been available on the National Disaster Management Agency’s (Nadma) website since Oct 17,” said Izham.
He said the report contained investigation details, soil study results, slope stability analysis and mentioned various factors that contributed to the slope failure mechanism as well as the next steps to be taken.
“The report found that there was no element of negligence that led to the incident.
“The failure happened abruptly and there were no signs of tension crack on the slope,” he added.
Datuk Seri Mohamed Azmin Ali (PN-Hulu Kelang) later stood up to ask a supplementary question but was declined by Speaker Lau Weng San.
Lau said that under the Standing Order if an assemblyman who originally posed a question was not present during the sitting, the Speaker could use his discretion to allow the question to be raised by another assemblyman.
“However, supplementary questions are not allowed because they are not asked by the original assemblyman who should be present,” he added.
Lau suggested that Azmin, who is the Opposition Leader to raise the matter during the unlimited time allocated to him during the debate session.
Later at a press conference, Azmin expressed regret over Lau’s action, describing it as being disruptive.
“The Speaker’s main role is to facilitate the proceedings and not frustrate the assemblymen.
“Although it is at the Speaker’s discretion to allow for supplementary questions to be asked, there must be a strong basis of consideration and no arbitrary rejection of an assemblyman’s request to do so,” he said.
