Cracks on retaining wall

15/04/2008 The Star By Ivan Loh

RESIDENTS of Lebuh Taman Jati 3, Taman Meru Jaya, in Ipoh, are having sleepless nights after noticing cracks appear on a 20m-high concrete retaining wall near their homes.

What was more worrying, said residents, was that the 19-storey Perak Techno-Trade Centre building is situated near the summit of the slope covered by the wall.

Resident Noor Akman Omar, 54, said that if the wall gave way, the building might collapse as well.

The cracks, now covered by canvas, appeared about three weeks ago. The wall was cons-tructed after a landslide occurred in 1995.

“Recently, a block of concrete from the wall almost fell on a house. After that incident, we became afraid for their lives,” Noor Akman said.

“Everyone is worried that the wall may just collapse anytime, especially when it rains heavily,” he added.

Manjoi assemblyman Datuk Nazri Ismail, who visited the site recently, said the lack of under-ground waterways could be the main reason for the cracks on the concrete wall.

He said the state government should carry out a study of the terrain immediately and repair the wall for the safety of the residents.

“It is clear that the concrete may not last long and it is a hazard to the residents. I don’t wish to see any disaster,” he added.

Nazri also suggested that the affected residents be moved else-where before any repairs were conducted.