2 theSun | WEDNESDAY DECEMBER 10 2008

news without borders

Residents
plan to
sue for
compensation
KUALA LUMPUR: Residents
in Bukit Antarabangsa affected
by Saturday’s landslide plan to
sue the authorities and claim
compensation.
The chairman of the Bukit
Antarabangsa Action Committee,
Datuk N. Muneandy, said yesterday
the committee will seek legal
advice because they are confident
of having strong evidence to
pursue their claims.
“We have the evidence like
photographs taken before the
landslide and complaints lodged
with the local authority,” he told
reporters.
Without stating the amount
of compensation to be claimed,
Muneandy said some residents
had notified the local authority
about the possibility of landslides
happening.
“They had reported fallen trees,
which indicated that something
undesirable could happen but the
local authority only sent people
to cut the trees and there were no
other preventive measures taken,”
he said.
Muneandy also urged the
government to immediately form
a special committee, including
representatives of the residents, so
that they could be kept informed
of any development in Bukit
Antarabangsa.
“This is important as the
problem involves our safety and
our homes and, therefore, we
want the government to act fast,”
he said.
Earlier, representatives of the
Residents move
Bukit Antarabangsa residents held their belongings
a discussion with the landslide out of the
search and rescue operations chief, landslide-affected
Datuk Khalid Abu Bakar, to get areas of Bukit
details of the operations. Antarabangsa
Khalid promised to intensity yesterday.
the security surveillance in
the landslide area to prevent
looting. He also urged residents
with problems to lodge police
reports. » Elizabeth Wong:
“We did get requests from Bitter vindication
residents who wanted to come in
to get their belongings, including Page 16
their cars stuck in the rubble, but
we cannot allow them to do it now
» Citizen Nades:
as the ground is still unstable and Punish the
could endanger their lives,” he decision-makers
said. – Bernama Page 17

Police to probe allegation by victim’s husband

KUALA LUMPUR: Selangor police chief Datuk Khalid
Abu Bakar said yesterday a complaint lodged by a
landslide victim against the search and rescue (SAR)
operations team would be investigated.
The husband of Eng Yee Peng, who died in the
landslide at Taman Bukit Mewah in Bukit Antarabangsa
on Saturday, had alleged that the rescue team failed
to respond positively when he sought its help to save
his wife.
Khalid said police had contacted Eng’s
husband to go to the SAR operations centre to
assist in the investigation.
“I was informed of the complaint and police
had contacted the husband yesterday (Monday)
but he had not responded yet, probably because
he is still in mourning,” he told reporters.
“However, I can assure (you) that a detailed
investigation will be carried out to identify who
the said individual was.”
A local Chinese daily report claimed that
Eng’s husband had sought help from the rescue
team but was given a hoe and asked to dig and
find his wife on his own.
Khalid said although no police report was
made, police would still carry out an investiga-
tion.
He urged victims of the landslide to contact
the SAR operations centre or the information
centre for help and advice.
“These centres are set up to help the victims
and they should keep in touch with the centres
for the latest information, directive or help. We
are also ready to help those who want to return
to their houses to look for their valuables,” he
said.
“All the facilities are in place at these cen-
tres and victims should come forward and use
them. If there was a problem, they can make a
report to us.”

We acted on complaints,
says council
KUALA LUMPUR: The Ampang Jaya Municipal
Council (MPAJ) refuted yesterday claims that it
had failed to respond positively to complaints
by residents in Bukit Antarabangsa on numer-
ous issues ranging from soil erosion to tree
pruning.
Its public relations officer, Norhayati Ah-
mad, said immediate action had been taken
by the council or the developers to address
the problems.
“For instance, after receiving complaints
about suspected erosion on the main road
to Bukit Antarabangsa in September, we
immediately sent our experts to the ground
and put up the gabion wall to prevent further
erosion,” she told Bernama.
Following Saturday’s landslide, residents in
Bukit Antarabangsa had alleged that the au-
thorities, including the MPAJ, had failed to take
necessary action to prevent the disaster.
Among others, they claimed that the local
council had failed to respond to their com-
plaints of soil activities in the area a few days
before the tragedy.
Norhayati said the MPAJ would clean up
the area and restore the amenities once
the search and rescue operation was called
off.
“We expect to begin work some time
next week,” she said, adding that for now,
the council was among those assisting the
authorities in evacuating residents in the af-
fected areas.
An Oakleaf Park Condominium resident
caused a scene at the MPAJ operations centre
at Taman Bukit Mewah yesterday when he
railed at the MPAJ staff and other workers for
not helping him and his family to evacuate.
Tumiran Mohd Kasdi, 56, who had been
living at the condominium for 15 years,
claimed that he, his wife and two children
had to walk for 30 minutes in the rain up the
slippery road to collect their belongings at
about 3pm on Monday and the drivers in two
MPAJ four-wheel-drive vehicles did not offer
them help.
He said his daughter was still in confine-
ment and had to carry her baby and other
belongings.
Tumiran also said there were no vehicles to
help them evacuate despite announcements
to the contrary. – Bernama