Ministry seeks more money
KUALA LUMPUR: The Works Ministry will ask for more funds to install early warning systems that can detect earth movement on hill slopes near the main highways nationwide.
Datuk Seri S. Samy Vellu said his ministry had earlier requested for RM168mil for the purpose but received only a small allocation.
As landslides occurred quite often during the current rainy season, the ministry would seek more allocations from the Government, he told reporters after opening a seminar here yesterday.
Samy Vellu said the Public Works Department had identified several hilly areas near the main highways, including along the North-South Expressway, Kuala Lumpur-Karak-Kuantan Expressway and federal highways that were prone to landslides.
“The early warning system supplied by local experts, will be installed on the slopes and if there are landslides, early information can be issued quickly and accurately for further action,” he said.
He was commenting on a landslide along a new bypass to Genting Highlands, known as the New Chin Swee Bypass last Thursday. The road has been closed temporarily.
Samy Vellu said Resorts World Bhd, the operator of the Genting resort and theme park, would build three retaining walls to reinforce the slope around the landslide area.
He said the operator had also temporarily closed all the buildings, including a temple and restaurant on the slope.
On another matter, Samy Vellu said part of the existing Customs, Immigration and Quarantine (CIQ) Complex in Johor Baru would have to be demolished to make way for a straight road to connect the complex to the Causeway.
He said the ministry’s engineers sent to Johor to identify the route for the “very straight connection” from the new CIQ complex to the causeway had come up with the suggestion.
“The only problem we face now is that the present CIQ complex is obstructing the construction of the proposed road,” he said, adding that the new suggestion would be presented to the Cabinet on Wednesday for approval. – Bernama
Source: The Star
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