Burst pipe main cause of Bukit Antarabangsa tragedy

Selangor Mentri Besar Tan Sri Abdul Khalid Ibrahim


Selangor Environment, Tourism and Consumer Affairs Committee chairman Elizabeth Wong


A leaking water pipe on a slope was the main cause of the Bukit Antarabangsa landslide tragedy which claimed five lives and destroyed 14 bungalows in Taman Bukit Mewah on Dec 6 last year, according to a technical report declassified by the Selangor state government today.

This was revealed in official secret documents containing reasons for the tragedy at 3.30am on Dec 6, 2008, which were declassified by the Selangor government today.

Speaking to the media after a weekly State Executive Council meeting, Selangor Mentri Besar Tan Sri Abdul Khalid Ibrahim said he had invoked his authority under Section 2(c) of the Official Secrets Act (OSA) to declassify the documents that was given to the Ampang Jaya Municipal Council (MPAJ).

"We discussed the report in our meeting and we have decided to make it available to the public, especially the affected parties, starting Monday," he said, adding that the MPAJ has been tasked with this.

A summary of the report will be available for free, while a detailed report will be made available at a cost, he added.

The summary, made available to the media, states that the technical committee set up to study the cause of the incident identified several measures that needed to be taken.

The committee, headed by the Slope Engineering division of the Public Works Department , involved 11 other agencies.

The committee found that a leaking pipe along a row of abandoned houses as having caused moisture build-up that weakened the slope leading to its collapse.

Other factors include the loosening of soil during development, the lack of maintenance, damage and lack of maintenance of drainage systems in the area surrounding the landslide.

Heavy rains between October and November 2008 also contributed to the overall gradual collapse of soil in the area.

Among the recommendations to solve the problems were to ensure that plumbing and pipes in the area, including for sewage systems, are not located underground and that these be closely monitored and maintained frequently, proper maintenance and expansion of drainsin Bukit Antarabangsa.

Also recommended are the construction of subsoil drains in areas where there is high retention of moisture in the soil, and the installation of sensors to monitor soil movement.

"Bukit Antarabangsa residents will know the real reasons behind the cause of the landslide when they read this report, and following this we will meet them in January to reevaluate the measures that we need to take to solve the problem of landslides in that area," said Abdul Khalid.

Selangor Environment, Tourism and Consumer Affairs Committee chairman Elizabeth Wong said the details and information of the report would be used as a tool to find ways to address the problem of landslides and to help those who experienced the tragedy in Bukit Antarabangsa.



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Deputy Prime Minister Muhyiddin offers to mediate in Terengganu Umno feud

Former Menteri Besar of Terengganu Idris , not supported by the palace/state rulers. Once Ahmad was elected, Idris supporters were sidelined and accused of bribery. Maybe be due to the controversial too lavish in the Crystal mosque and Monsoon cup expenses , where the people think is better spent to reduce poverty and flood prevention. Monsoon cup cost RM300 million per year to host. The Crystal Mosque cost RM240 million .



Current Menteri Besar Ahmad of Terengganu facing crisis , maybe around lost 9 seats to cross over to opposition. Here in Pixture praying hard in Mosque. Face boycott in state assembly and in state functions. Royal Palace opposed his nomination by UMNO hq. Ahmad got support of the royal palace.





Ahmad Said’s (centre) rift with some Umno representatives has grown into talks of defections.
PM Najib(left)

Umno deputy president Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin harbours high hope that Umno leaders in Terengganu could accept the fact that they should be together and remain united to serve the people.A fresh political storm is brewing in Terengganu, with rumours that nine Umno assemblymen are threatening to defect as a result of a longstanding feud with the state’s mentri besar.

If the nine join forces with opposition Pakatan Rakyat’s (PR) eight Parti Islam SeMalaysia (PAS) assemblymen in Terengganu, the Barisan Nasional (BN) state government would fall. At present, BN has 24 of the 32 state seats, with Umno holding 23 of the BN seats and the Malaysian Chinese Association (MCA) taking the remaining seat.

Muhyiddin, who is also Deputy Prime Minister and Barisan Nasional deputy chairman, said he believed the state leaders were true and loyal Umno supporters. "There could be some moves by some parties to draw them in but I believe they understand better since they are very experienced and matured."


He said he did not know of rumours that nine Umno assemblymen had threatened to defect as a result of a longstanding feud with the menteri besar, Datuk Seri Ahmad Said.

Muhyiddin also expressed hope that the situation in the state under the chairmanship of Umno vice-president Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein would improve.

Ahmad, who is now Umno Terengganu deputy chairman, is facing rebellion within the state party set-up.

At least 12 of the 23 Umno assemblymen are said to be against his leadership.

The state has long been shaky after the state ruler rejected Umno’s choice of mentri besar, the incumbent Idris Jusoh, and appointed Datuk Ahmad Said following the general election in March last year.

Several Umno leaders and supporters had held protests, leading to a brief constitutional crisis and an uncomfortable stand-off between the party and the palace. Then-prime minister Abdullah Badawi was forced to back down.

Since then, Idris’ supporters say that they have been sidelined by Ahmad and it seems they are unhappy because they were denied positions in the state Cabinet and were not handed state projects. In April this year, a group of 10 Umno assemblymen boycotted a sitting of the state assembly amid rumours that a motion of no confidence would be tabled against Ahmad.

Prime Minister Najib Razak had to intervene, and he ordered them to return to the proceedings.

Although the menteri besar claimed otherwise last week, political observers believe the numbers could grow in the coming months if nothing was done to resolve the differences.

Umno holds 23 seats in the state assembly. MCA has one and Pas eight.

Hishammuddin also expressed his gratitude to Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin for his willingness to be a mediator in resolving the internal crisis in Terengganu Umno.

“He can help resolve one or two of the problems while the mentri besar and I can resolve the rest of it.

“We will do this quietly and directly with the leaders involved,” he said.

Muhyiddin, who is Umno deputy president, was in Terengganu yesterday to meet state Umno leaders and offered to help Hishammuddin to resolve the problem.

When asked about several BN assemblymen who were not presence at the meeting with Muhyiddin yesterday, Hishammuddin said it was because the deputy prime minister had three events in the state.

“I was told that almost all of them were present at the events,” he said.