Hillview’s hillslope woes

Hillslope project and drug haunt part of dialogue

By LIM CHIA YING – The STAR / Metro

DEVELOPMENTS, especially on hillslopes, were questioned by residents of Taman Sri Ukay and Hill View Ampang during a dialogue held with the Ampang Jaya Municipal Council (MPAJ).  The dialogue was the first to be organised by the Taman Sri Ukay Hill View Residents’ Association (RA) since it was registered last October.

A Hill View resident asked about a development at Madonna Heights, the area where the former Good Shepherd kindergarten used to be.  “There are plans to build a gated community and high-rise apartments here. The MPAJ circulated six notices to six households within Taman Hillview but approval had apparently been given despite all six homes objecting to the plan,” the resident claimed.

“Is this the commitment of the authorities. Haven’t they learnt a lesson from past tragedies like the Highland Towers and Bukit Antarabangsa?  “This is frustrating and I am disgusted,” the resident said.

Also present were representatives from Telekom, Syabas, the police and Duke Highway. Ampang MP Zuraida Kamaruddin and Gombak MP and Bukit Antarabangsa assemblyman Azmin Ali were also present.

A resident staying at Lorong 7A in Taman Sri Ukay also voiced out her fears about a condominium at the peak.  She said this was a serious matter and that any untoward incident would affect the whole residential area.

Another matter brought up was claims by residents that the site of the Highland Towers tragedy has become a haunt for drug addicts.

The residents also complained about problems related to a religious school in the area.  “The drivers with their big cars park anywhere they like and have no respect for the residents. Traffic is heavy and a danger to us. The hygiene at the premises is also questionable,” said the residents.

Other issues raised included noise the residents have to put up with now that the Duta-Ulu Kelang Expressway (Duke) is open.  “We are wondering if barriers can be put up to muffle the noise. Also, the point where the DUKE and MRR2 converge is often at a gridlock, causing the congestion to spill over to the Melawati area.”

MPAJ deputy president Abd Hamid Hussain said he was unable to comment on the matters raised.

Attention All Good Samaritans

We received this from a friend:-

I have been approached by my aunt who teaches in Assunta school to spread the words pertaining to this girl who needs to raise fund to save her eyesight.

Her name is Yvonne Foong http://www.yvonnefoong.com                                                                               

and I believe that her plight has previously been highlighted in the papers. Briefly, she needs to undergo a highly complicated surgery due to optic nerve tumour. It’s a rare condition and Malaysian hospitals lack the necessary expertise to perform such a surgery.

Her father suffered from brain haemorrhage more than ten years ago and is unable to work, while her mother earns enough to get by only. So she has been raising on her own for the said surgery. Please take some time off to read her blog  http://www.yvonnefoong.com and help out in any way that you can, no matter how small the contribution as time is running out for her. She has another 3 days to collect enough funds for this surgery and she’s still lacking about RM10,000.  Thank you!!!  Regards, E.E.P

4 killed, thousands homeless

Najib: No more approval for risky hillside development KUALA LUMPUR (Dec 6, 2008): The government will not allow any development in hilly areas at risk of landslides to avert a recurrence of the mishaps, Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Abdul Razak said today. As such, he said, developers should not lobby the government for approval for projects in these areas. “I believe there is no reason to carry out development on hill slopes at risk of landslides. It is better to take preventive measures to avert possible disasters. “We have to learn from what has happened today,” he said during a visit to look at the landslide at Bukit Antarabangsa, Hulu Klang, near here.    Najib said there was no stopping developers from sending in their applications for hillslope projects once the stir over the landslide has eased. “Human beings have a short memory. In three or six months, people would have forgotten (what happened) and the developers will lobby for their applications to be approved. They do not learn from what has happened,” he said. Najib warned developers not to pressure the government for approvals or to regard the government’s action as harsh. However, he said the government should not be blamed if any area where development was not allowed in the first place was later found to be risk-free. He expressed satisfaction with the response of the rescue team. He said the rescue operation has to be done cautiously as the ground is still unstable. Najib said the government has evacuated more than 2,000 occupants of a block of condominium situated near the scene of the landslide. — Bernama

These are other responses to the disaster at Bukit Antarabangsa: 

 

Bukit Antarabangsa landslide disaster – urgent Parliament debate

http://blog.limkitsiang.com/2008/12/07/2122/

 

Criminal negligence – after Highland Towers tragedy 15 years ago

http://blog.limkitsiang.com/2008/12/07/bukit-antarabangsa-landslide-disaster-%E2%80%93-criminal-negligence-after-highland-towers-tragedy-15-years-ago/

 

Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak asked all state governments to review ongoing hillslope projects to avert landslides similar to Saturday’s incident at Bukit Antarabangsa in Hulu Klang, Selangor

http://www.thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2008/12/7/nation/20081207161532&sec=nation

 

Enough! No more hillside housing projects at Bukit Antarabangsa, orders Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi

http://www.thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2008/12/7/nation/2746282&sec=nation

 

Bukit Antarabangsa landslide – bitter vindication

http://elizabethwong.wordpress.com/2008/12/07/bukit-antarabangsa-landslide-bitter-vindication/

  

 

Nightmare on Ampang Hills

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

All pics (C) H.Berbar

 

  

B.Antarabangsa folks in jeopardy

This was how thousands of residents were evacuated in

Bukit Antarabangsa yesterday after the landslide. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 Pics(C)H.Berbar

 

When these Malaysians bought their family homes, did they think that This would happen to them?  Did the thought that one day they and their children would have to struggle through cascading mud down a slippery dirt road for safety?  Where will they go?  What is to become of their home, a place which is supposed to be a safe haven for their families.  There are many questions that needs answers.