Debate over hillslope project revived By Hazlin Hassan, Malaysia Correspondent
KUALA LUMPUR: When retired government servant Peter Raiappan bought his home in a middle-class suburb in 1970, the hillslope overlooking his backyard was filled with trees.
Today, the trees are gone and the slope in the Medan Damansara estate in Kuala Lumpur is being turned into a bungalow retreat for the rich.
'When we bought the houses, the developer then had showed us a plan of the area. The hill was marked as a green lung and we were assured that it would not be developed,' the 65-year-old told The Straits Times.
Four of the residents, including Mr Raiappan, are being sued by the developer of the Damansara 21 project for protesting against its planned development.
The issue highlights the current anger against projects built on slopes, following a recent landslide that killed four people and turned life topsy-turvy for thousands of others in the neighbouring state of Selangor.
The 21 bungalows being built in the Damansara 21 project will each come with a swimming pool.
Each house costs between RM10 million and RM15 million (S$4.1 million and S$6.2 million). The project is being developed by SDB Properties; it paid RM50 million for the land.
The developer, in a statement issued in September, said it 'continues to stand by its commitment to ensure that all works in the project will be carried out in a proper manner, in full compliance with all conditions imposed by the relevant authorities and with the residents' safety in mind'.
The area's municipal authority, Kuala Lumpur City Hall, had said that the land was private property and not a designated green lung and all relevant authorities had given the green light for the project to go ahead.
Work started last December. Earlier this year, nearly 20 residents from Medan Damansara knocked on the doors of the Anti-Corruption Agency in Putrajaya to hand over papers alleging corruption on the part of KL City Hall when it allowed the developer permission to build on the slope.
The developers filed a defamation suit against four of the residents association's office bearers in their personal capacity at the High Court three months ago.
Besides Mr Raiappan, those sued are association president P. Subhakaran, former association president Abdul Shukor Abdullah and Mr Randhir Singh.
Following the deadly landslide in Bukit Antarabangsa a week ago, the government has halted the Damansara 21 project pending a review.
But Mr Singh said that it is not good enough and they want the government to scrap the development. 'We will challenge the suit. The project is a monster staring at us. We fear for our safety and we have the right to speak up for it,' he said.
But many developers felt the Bukit Antarabangsa incident had caused all of them to be painted unfairly.
Mr Eddy Chen, chairman of The Hillslope Development Task Force of the Real Estate and Housing Developers' Association, said banning all hillslope projects was not the way out.
'A blanket ban on all hillslope developments is not a sustainable long-term answer,' he wrote in a column in The Edge, a financial newspaper, yesterday.
He said that more stringent rules for the maintenance of slopes and the holistic involvement of all relevant parties in adhering to a slope-safety management and warning system was more important.
Tuesday, December 16, 2008
We were featured in the Singapore Straits Times
Debate over hillslope project revived By Hazlin Hassan, Malaysia Correspondent
KUALA LUMPUR: When retired government servant Peter Raiappan bought his home in a middle-class suburb in 1970, the hillslope overlooking his backyard was filled with trees.
Today, the trees are gone and the slope in the Medan Damansara estate in Kuala Lumpur is being turned into a bungalow retreat for the rich.
'When we bought the houses, the developer then had showed us a plan of the area. The hill was marked as a green lung and we were assured that it would not be developed,' the 65-year-old told The Straits Times.
Four of the residents, including Mr Raiappan, are being sued by the developer of the Damansara 21 project for protesting against its planned development.
The issue highlights the current anger against projects built on slopes, following a recent landslide that killed four people and turned life topsy-turvy for thousands of others in the neighbouring state of Selangor.
The 21 bungalows being built in the Damansara 21 project will each come with a swimming pool.
Each house costs between RM10 million and RM15 million (S$4.1 million and S$6.2 million). The project is being developed by SDB Properties; it paid RM50 million for the land.
The developer, in a statement issued in September, said it 'continues to stand by its commitment to ensure that all works in the project will be carried out in a proper manner, in full compliance with all conditions imposed by the relevant authorities and with the residents' safety in mind'.
The area's municipal authority, Kuala Lumpur City Hall, had said that the land was private property and not a designated green lung and all relevant authorities had given the green light for the project to go ahead.
Work started last December. Earlier more
KUALA LUMPUR: When retired government servant Peter Raiappan bought his home in a middle-class suburb in 1970, the hillslope overlooking his backyard was filled with trees.
Today, the trees are gone and the slope in the Medan Damansara estate in Kuala Lumpur is being turned into a bungalow retreat for the rich.
'When we bought the houses, the developer then had showed us a plan of the area. The hill was marked as a green lung and we were assured that it would not be developed,' the 65-year-old told The Straits Times.
Four of the residents, including Mr Raiappan, are being sued by the developer of the Damansara 21 project for protesting against its planned development.
The issue highlights the current anger against projects built on slopes, following a recent landslide that killed four people and turned life topsy-turvy for thousands of others in the neighbouring state of Selangor.
The 21 bungalows being built in the Damansara 21 project will each come with a swimming pool.
Each house costs between RM10 million and RM15 million (S$4.1 million and S$6.2 million). The project is being developed by SDB Properties; it paid RM50 million for the land.
The developer, in a statement issued in September, said it 'continues to stand by its commitment to ensure that all works in the project will be carried out in a proper manner, in full compliance with all conditions imposed by the relevant authorities and with the residents' safety in mind'.
The area's municipal authority, Kuala Lumpur City Hall, had said that the land was private property and not a designated green lung and all relevant authorities had given the green light for the project to go ahead.
Work started last December. Earlier more
Monday, December 15, 2008
Standing firm
Former Malaysia Airlines big boss Tan Sri Aziz Abdul Rahman is right.
Tan Sri who is also Bukit Damansara RA president, said one way to temporarily stop anyone or groups of people from speaking out publicly is to slap them with a civil suit.
"Legal action is the right of an individual, but we also have to look at the motive behind of it," he said to the Malay Mail.
Abdul Aziz said the Medan Damansara RA now have no choice but to defend their case.
"Although a claim was filed, I do not think there is defamation involved. The residents are merely stating what’s really happening in their area, because they are fighting for their safety," he explained.
"It is unfair to take action against these people, who just want to feel safe and live in their homes."
Read the Malay Mail's report here
As for the defendant, MDRA committee member, Randhir Singh, said the association will fight against the suit as they had their right to speak.
"We have been voicing our concerns over the development on the top of the hill as many residents in the area are worried about their safety.
"The suit will not dampen our spirits and we will continue to speak up as it concerns our safety and we have in fact even started a blog http://www.medandamansara21.blogspot.com/ to keep the masses updated about our plight."
Four of the RA’s office bearers, including Randhir, were named as respondents to the suit filed by the developers, SDB Properties Sdn Bhd and Selangor Dredging Bhd. The statement of claim was served three months ago. The RA has in response filed their defence a month ago through their counsel.
Tan Sri who is also Bukit Damansara RA president, said one way to temporarily stop anyone or groups of people from speaking out publicly is to slap them with a civil suit.
"Legal action is the right of an individual, but we also have to look at the motive behind of it," he said to the Malay Mail.
Abdul Aziz said the Medan Damansara RA now have no choice but to defend their case.
"Although a claim was filed, I do not think there is defamation involved. The residents are merely stating what’s really happening in their area, because they are fighting for their safety," he explained.
"It is unfair to take action against these people, who just want to feel safe and live in their homes."
Read the Malay Mail's report here
As for the defendant, MDRA committee member, Randhir Singh, said the association will fight against the suit as they had their right to speak.
"We have been voicing our concerns over the development on the top of the hill as many residents in the area are worried about their safety.
"The suit will not dampen our spirits and we will continue to speak up as it concerns our safety and we have in fact even started a blog http://www.medandamansara21.blogspot.com/ to keep the masses updated about our plight."
Four of the RA’s office bearers, including Randhir, were named as respondents to the suit filed by the developers, SDB Properties Sdn Bhd and Selangor Dredging Bhd. The statement of claim was served three months ago. The RA has in response filed their defence a month ago through their counsel.
Sunday, December 14, 2008
Of sense and sensibilities
The New Straits Times editorial today carried this.
"LET's not blame Mother Nature," says Works Minister Datuk Mohd Zin Mohamed. Let's not blame the engineers either, says Institution of Engineers president Datuk Keizrul Abdullah.
Don't blame us, says the present state government. Nor us, says its predecessor.
Indeed, let's not blame anyone or anything for now. Let's wait for the Public Works Department's report on the Bukit Antarabangsa landslide, its diagnosis of the problems and its recommendations for solutions.
It will take about three months for the report to be completed -- a time frame that extends through next month's parliamentary by-election in Kuala Terengganu to a deadline coincident with the Umno general assembly at which national administrations are expected to change.
With at least a dozen government agencies and statutory bodies among the pantheon of authorities involved in matters arising from the landslide disaster, expect delays of handover to follow this period of transition. But this also happens to be a timeframe spanning the wettest months of the year.
While three hillslope development projects have been stopped in the Klang Valley -- in Medan Damansara, Bukit Ceylon and Bukit Gasing -- civil-society protests have emerged against slope development in Penang and Perak as well, indicating the nationwide alarm over such activities.
The conduct of such public protests has matured in the past year. Anger is all too easy to whip up in the present climate, but in the controversies arising from the Bukit Antarabangsa disaster, the outrage is laced with genuine fear among those living on or around suspect hillsides.
Obviously, those spearheading these residents' protests will need to keep stoking these emotions to fuel their campaign for action to be taken to lessen their anger and fear.But abruptly halting all engineering works on hillslopes is not the answer, as Keizrul has warned. The slopes are left unfinished and bare to the elements. In fact, one of the weak spots that may have precipitated the Bukit Antarabangsa landslide is thought to have been an abandoned project upslope.
What affected residents need to see is work continuing on these sites, therefore -- not to continue building upon them, but to stabilise them. Such work can and should be instituted immediately, given the present weather conditions. Let the blame fall where it may, upon completion of these exhaustive studies and detailed reports, along with the consequent judicial process of suits, counter-suits and appeals.
Developers, engineers, authorities and residents should find it easier to agree to fix the problems first, then seek justice. "
Well, OK, the editorial was quite reasonable and objective but how would the writer feel if he or she and the family were to stay right beside the hillslope?
I think the writer should also comment on the need for financial institutions to review their policies with regard to financing hillside projects.
We need the banking sector to be on the same page with consumers and uphold their corportate social responsibility, good governance and practices if developers on hillside projects come a calling.
The writer should also appeal to the good sense of professionals, especially engineering consultants and lawyers and whether they should distance themselves from rogue developers. We are not talking only about the present but for our future generation.
It is also a question of ethics, although I believe it is a foreign word for many Malaysians.
To me it is indeed puzzling that professionals who are highly critical of the Government become a party to some of these misdeeds! They are right but the rest of the world is wrong but when it is in their interest, they protect their turf like hell.
Let's not talk about stabilising the hills. But let's talk about stabilising our lives!
"LET's not blame Mother Nature," says Works Minister Datuk Mohd Zin Mohamed. Let's not blame the engineers either, says Institution of Engineers president Datuk Keizrul Abdullah.
Don't blame us, says the present state government. Nor us, says its predecessor.
Indeed, let's not blame anyone or anything for now. Let's wait for the Public Works Department's report on the Bukit Antarabangsa landslide, its diagnosis of the problems and its recommendations for solutions.
It will take about three months for the report to be completed -- a time frame that extends through next month's parliamentary by-election in Kuala Terengganu to a deadline coincident with the Umno general assembly at which national administrations are expected to change.
With at least a dozen government agencies and statutory bodies among the pantheon of authorities involved in matters arising from the landslide disaster, expect delays of handover to follow this period of transition. But this also happens to be a timeframe spanning the wettest months of the year.
While three hillslope development projects have been stopped in the Klang Valley -- in Medan Damansara, Bukit Ceylon and Bukit Gasing -- civil-society protests have emerged against slope development in Penang and Perak as well, indicating the nationwide alarm over such activities.
The conduct of such public protests has matured in the past year. Anger is all too easy to whip up in the present climate, but in the controversies arising from the Bukit Antarabangsa disaster, the outrage is laced with genuine fear among those living on or around suspect hillsides.
Obviously, those spearheading these residents' protests will need to keep stoking these emotions to fuel their campaign for action to be taken to lessen their anger and fear.But abruptly halting all engineering works on hillslopes is not the answer, as Keizrul has warned. The slopes are left unfinished and bare to the elements. In fact, one of the weak spots that may have precipitated the Bukit Antarabangsa landslide is thought to have been an abandoned project upslope.
What affected residents need to see is work continuing on these sites, therefore -- not to continue building upon them, but to stabilise them. Such work can and should be instituted immediately, given the present weather conditions. Let the blame fall where it may, upon completion of these exhaustive studies and detailed reports, along with the consequent judicial process of suits, counter-suits and appeals.
Developers, engineers, authorities and residents should find it easier to agree to fix the problems first, then seek justice. "
Well, OK, the editorial was quite reasonable and objective but how would the writer feel if he or she and the family were to stay right beside the hillslope?
I think the writer should also comment on the need for financial institutions to review their policies with regard to financing hillside projects.
We need the banking sector to be on the same page with consumers and uphold their corportate social responsibility, good governance and practices if developers on hillside projects come a calling.
The writer should also appeal to the good sense of professionals, especially engineering consultants and lawyers and whether they should distance themselves from rogue developers. We are not talking only about the present but for our future generation.
It is also a question of ethics, although I believe it is a foreign word for many Malaysians.
To me it is indeed puzzling that professionals who are highly critical of the Government become a party to some of these misdeeds! They are right but the rest of the world is wrong but when it is in their interest, they protect their turf like hell.
Let's not talk about stabilising the hills. But let's talk about stabilising our lives!
Saturday, December 13, 2008
Thank you for the support
Medan Damansara residents protest against the hillside project that endangers lives and destroys properties. Randhir Singh, Asst Secretary of MDRA, (seen foreground, right) said: "We want the Damansara Project 21 scrapped and the hill rehabilitated according to the authorities' requirements."
Can you recognise YB Tan Kok Wai, Tony Pua and Nurul Izzah among those squatting
Our eternal gratitude to our VVIPs, fellow citizens, support groups and NGOs especially those from Bukit Gasing, Ampang and Seputeh who gathered at our place today. Close to 200 people, including Deputy Federal Territories Minister Datuk M. Saravanan, 5 Members of Parliament namely Nurul Izzah Anwar, Tony Pua, Gobind Deo Singh, Tan Kok Wai and Fong Kui Lun (Bukit Bintang) as well as Tan Sri Ramon Navaratnam and Dato P.G. Lim were in attendance. We have conveyed the message loud and clear. Now we need the political will from the powers-that-be!
As can be seen, the Damansara 1 Project sits precariously next to Medan Damansara.
Residents of Medan Damansara Residents Association also observed a one minute silence for victims of hillslope residents of Ulu Yam Perdana and Bukit Antarabangsa
Dr Marsita whose house was adversely affected by the landslide spoke her heart out against the hillside development.
Residents of Medan Damansara Residents Association also observed a one minute silence for victims of hillslope residents of Ulu Yam Perdana and Bukit Antarabangsa
Dr Marsita whose house was adversely affected by the landslide spoke her heart out against the hillside development.
"The developer cannot buy me with two months of free hotel stay. I am thinking of the other residents who live nearby the hillslope. I would like to invite the developer's family members to live in my corner house for free and feel for themselves if they can sleep well whenever it rains heavily."
Randhir Singh, Asst Secretary of MDRA, told the Press – "We want the Damansara Project 21 scrapped and the hill rehabilitated according to the authorities' requirements."
Randhir Singh, Asst Secretary of MDRA, told the Press – "We want the Damansara Project 21 scrapped and the hill rehabilitated according to the authorities' requirements."
Press-ing support
We are thankful to the Press for their support and understanding as we seek to stop the hillside development at Medan Damansara 21.
Some of the news can be accessed here at the Star, here and here and here at NST
Some of the news can be accessed here at the Star, here and here and here at NST
Thanks Rockybru
The plight of the residents at Medan Damansara has drew the interest of many, including top blogger, Ahirudin Attan.
In his latest posting, the former Malay Mail top boss highlighted the fact the developers of Damansara 21 have sued four residents in their personal capacity. The four are:
1) Dato Seri Dr Abdul Shukor Abdullah (picture, thanks to savebukitgasing.wordpress.com), who is chairman of the Persatuan Penduduk Medan Damansara)
2) Peter Raiappan, the secretary
3) Randhir Singh, the Assistant Secretary and
4) P. Sudhakaran, a vice president of the association
Read here
1) Dato Seri Dr Abdul Shukor Abdullah (picture, thanks to savebukitgasing.wordpress.com), who is chairman of the Persatuan Penduduk Medan Damansara)
2) Peter Raiappan, the secretary
3) Randhir Singh, the Assistant Secretary and
4) P. Sudhakaran, a vice president of the association
Read here
Wednesday, December 10, 2008
Bukit Antarabangsa making the international news
Highland Towers tragedy in 1993, and fifteen years on and what have we learnt? We should see the latest mishap in Bukit Antarabangsa as a wake-up call for the authorities to stop hillside development. Naturally residents at Medan Damansara took the opportunity to hammer home the point. Read here.
Also read here. Interesting to note the developers were interested in the climate of economic investment instead of investing in the survival of the human race. Business interests override everything else. We are talking about human lives here...read here
Read here
Also read here. Interesting to note the developers were interested in the climate of economic investment instead of investing in the survival of the human race. Business interests override everything else. We are talking about human lives here...read here
Read here
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