CAMERON HIGHLANDS: The Sultan of Pahang, Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri’ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah (pix), has urged all concerned parties to expedite the repair of the slope affected by a landslide at the Orang Asli settlement in Kampung Sungai Ruil, Tanah Rata here, to facilitate the immediate return of the victims to their homes.
He also urged all parties involved in the repair work, including the Public Works Department (JKR), to execute the project with the utmost diligence to prevent any recurrence of such incidents in the future.
“I still remember that in 2011, a similar incident occurred, which prompted the implementation of the settlement project.
“However, I hope that it (the repair work) can be expedited so that all of them (the victims) can return home,“ he said after visiting the transit house for 17 families affected by the collapsed slope in Tanah Rata here.
Present were Pahang Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Wan Rosdy Wan Ismail and Cameron Highlands member of Parliament Datuk Ramli Mohd Nor.
The landslide, which occurred at 10.56 am on Oct 12 last year, was identified as being caused by broken underground pipes and heavy rain, especially at night.
It was reported that six houses and three motorcycles were damaged in the incident and the residents comprising 17 families were instructed to vacate their premises for fear of their safety.
The families were housed at the Sungai Ruil community hall before being transferred to the Tenaga Nasional Berhad (TNB) quarters last month and the rental of RM500 a month would be fully borne by the Orang Asli Development Department (Jakoa).
The slope repair project, involving an allocation of RM3.5 million, is expected to take two years to complete.
Meanwhile, Al-Sultan Abdullah instructed the relevant authorities to closely monitor the safety of slopes in Cameron Highlands, which are prone to collapse, particularly during the rainy season.
“The safety of slopes, particularly those adjacent to roads, must be prioritised to ensure the safety of road users,“ he said.
The Ruler also reminded the homeowners of the Sungai Ruil Orang Asli settlement against arbitrarily changing their house ownership, as this settlement is regarded as one of the most luxurious Orang Asli settlement projects ever developed.
During the visit, Al-Sultan Abdullah spent some time mingling with the affected victims and handed over donations to them before heading to the landslide site. –Bernama
