By Christina Koh
CAMERON HIGHLANDS: Portions of a hill in Tanah Rata here has been cut for an eight-unit shop lot, allegedly causing cracks and fear to families living on the same slope.
Just above the project of the affected slope in Lorong Perdah lives housewife Caroline Tuijthof, 46, who claimed that the project had caused cracks to appear in the foundation of her home.
The final straw was when a landslip occurred last week, aggravated by heavy rain, causing a 3.6m-wide section of the foundation of a neighbour’s house to collapse, said Tuijthof.
The landslip had also caused the collapse of its existing retaining wall that had helped support the slope, she said.
“At its worst, there is only one metre of ground from my neighbour’s house and the edge of the cliff. I don’t dare let my five-year-old daughter Joy play around here,” she said.
“We want to know how the Department of Environment (DOE) allowed the project.”
Tuijthof wanted the construction to stop until the developer could guarantee their safety, failing which, the family wanted the developer to at least build a stronger retaining wall with proper drainage so that their homes would not be vulnerable to landslides.
Her jewellery seller husband Ong Boon Beng, 51, said it seemed as if the developers were only concerned about finishing the project, which began in May this year.
Another resident K. Mogan, a nature guide, said the developer cut a large part of the hill, right up to their houses, until he felt like his home was at the edge of the hill.
“I’ve been scared out of my wits but feel a bit safer now that the developer has put in some sheet piling,” he said.
Cameron Highlands DOE branch head Ajis Hamjah said the department approved the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) for the 0.2ha project on March 31 this year.
“As far as I know, this is the smallest project in Malaysia with an EIA. Under the Environmental Quality Act, an EIA is only needed for projects exceeding 50ha. However, an EIA was provided here under the development guidelines,” he said.
Lebih Jaya Development Sdn Bhd director Low Ah Keong said they had started building a second retaining wall in stages, which would measure over 9m high, in three months’ time.
“It’s very safe. We have already received all the approvals and documentation from the DOE and council,” said Low.
Asked if their piling works could have caused the landslip, Low said: “We do not know. Since it has already happened, what matters now is building the retaining wall to rectify the situation.” - The Star
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