Stop work on dangerous hill project

The Sun 14/06/2006

ON behalf of the residents of Belair Condiminium, of which I am a resident, other hill residents, as well as those living in Lorong Basong, Damansara Heights facing the hill, we strongly urge the Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL) to stop work on the approval of the plan to build five town houses by demolishing a hill of which the gradient far exceeds that stipulated in the EIA Regulations.

The hill is situated at the foot of the condiminium and its demolition would most certainly unsettle the entire land structure leading to a situation such as that in Highland Towers and more recently Hulu Kelang. There will also be land clearing in a situation where there is no acces road that will result in massive soil erosion in the entire area and especially to the residents of Lorong Basong who live barely 20 metres away.

The hill gradient is estimated at 50 degrees that far exceeds the maximum 35 degrees stipulated under the EIA regulations whereby "any development including land clearance is totally prohibited". In fact the cabinet issued guidlines also banning any development above 35 degree gradient.

Therefore the DBKL has approved this development violating the regulations and the cabinet guidlines. We have been informed that because DBKL has not adopted the EIA and cabinet guidelines therefore the mayor has discretionary powers to act independently.

We urge the Federal Territories Minister and the Prime Minister to stop this development immediately.

Dr Collin Abraham
Kuala Lumpur