Failure To Maintain Drainage System Cause Of Landslide, Says Samy Vellu

BUTTERWORTH, May 4 (Bernama) -- Works Minister Datuk Seri S. Samy Vellu said today the landslide at Jalan Sultan Salahuddin in Kuala Lumpur was the result of failure to maintain the drainage system around the nearby Public Works Department (JKR) quarters.
He said the maintenance should have been carried out by Syarikat Bekalan Air Selangor (Syabas) because the quarters were now occupied by officers and staff of the company.
"The two blocks were the quarters of JKR staff previously but they were taken over by Syabas.
"All the drains around the area are damaged and when it rained heavily the water seeped into the ground and the landslide occurred," he told reporters after opening the Penang MIC Convention, here.
He said the earth from the landslide had been cleared by Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL).
"We want to know from Syabas why it did not clean up the area when the quarters were occupied by its officers and staff," he said.
Asked about the Sungai Nyiur Toll Plaza on the Butterworth Outer Ring Road (BORR) which was not in operation yet, Samy Vellu said the Malaysian Highway Authority (MHA) would submit a proposal soon to the Cabinet for a reduction in the toll rate.
Toll collection at the plaza was deferred following appeals by the state government, residents in Seberang Jaya and surrounding areas and several non-governmental organisations not to impose toll until an alternative road was built.

tunku : why everytime something happen then only the reason being told, why not before something happen , control measure are taken? if PWD had notice it why they did not inform syabas to do something about it, and syabas too, where is your maintenance team, sack them all.