THE BUNGALOW owner involved in the Jalan Taman Pantai landslide in Bangsar has appointed a contractor to be on standby to monitor the collapsed slope.

A recent site visit to the bungalow at Jalan Bukit Pantai by the Star Metro team found that a plastic sheet has already been placed over cracked and exposed surfaces of the slope to prevent further erosion in the event of rain. Workers were also seen tying ropes to the wall above the slope, securing the large concrete slab to columns so it would not tumble on the houses below.

Jing Interior site supervisor Jimmy Kuek, 25, said proper remedial work will begin once the investigation on the cause of the landslide has been completed by Kuala Lumpur City Hall and the Kuala Lumpur Fire and Rescue Department.

Though it was reported earlier that a leak in the swimming pool's circulation system could have caused the landslide, the contractor said another possibility which should not be discounted is the recent continuous rainfall which could have weakened the soil in the slope causing it to slip.

The landslide which took place at around 10.30am last Saturday (Feb 3) caused the pool at the house that belonged to Arthur Ang’s late parents to be filled with thick mud and soil. The landslide also damaged some parts of the house fence.

Though no structural damage was incurred, the police have sealed the area off, requiring residents on both sides of the affected house to move out temporarily as a safety measure.

While Ang’s parents' house and the one on the right is vacant, the house owner of the property on the left who wants to remain anonymous is now putting up at her parents-in-law’s house for the time being.

“I was in my room when the landslide occurred. We ran out of our house with only my handphone and the clothes on our back,” she said.

Now that investigations are underway and that time frame for when slope repairs can be completed has yet to be ascertained, this affected house owner is hoping that those responsible can compensate her family for the rental fees they’ll have to pay as they are unable to go back to their home.

“I heard that the slope repairs can easily take up to four months,” she said.

Ang who is also Taman Pantai Residents Association chairman said as early as six years ago, residents have observed water cascading down from the slope during the rainy season.

“There is a drain running across the slope that was supposed to channel excess rainwater away but parts of it have broken. In some parts, it has been blocked by extensions carried out by property owners along Jalan Bukit Pantai,” said Ang.

“We hope the authorities can carry out the necessary inspection and enforcement to address this issue,” said Ang.