KUALA LUMPUR: Police have recorded statements from witnesses and owners of the orphanage and Hidayah Madrasah Al-Taqwa that were involved in a landslide tragedy that claimed 16 lives in Hulu Langat on Saturday.
Selangor police chief Datuk Tun Hisan Tun Hamzah said the statements recorded were important to assist investigations and identify the cause of the tragedy.
“We want to find out whether the tragedy was due to carelessness or a lackadaisical attitude by the relevant people involved,” he told reporters after visiting survivors of the tragedy at the Ampang Hospital here yesterday.
Apart from the 16 who perished in the tragedy, there were nine survivors.
Six survivors are warded at special wards while three others were admitted to the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) of the Ampang Hospital.
Tun Hisan said the current investigation was focused on the status of the land that was said to be agricultural land.
“We will carry out an investigation because we have heard that the land was actually agricultural land. However, we will have to certify such claims by looking at the documents and to find out whether any buildings were allowed on the land,” he said.
He said police were in discussions with the Mineral and Geosciences Malaysia and other agencies to determine the cause of the landslide.
Tun Hisan said clearing works could not be carried out because there was still movement beneath, at the site, but added that police would continue to carry out surveillance in the area to maintain security and avoid looting.
Housing and Local Government Minister Datuk Chor Chee Heung had said on Sunday that the orphanage was built 10 years ago on land designated as agricultural land.
“Back then the MPKj did not have jurisdiction over this area, so we cannot blame residents who set up homes (in the area). They have the right to build homes for themselves and their families.
“However, landowners who now want to build houses in the area must submit their applications to the council,” he said.
Chor had explained that no action could be taken as the houses were over 10 years old, and no application requirements were imposed by the council then unlike now.
He said the ministry had issued a circular to local authorities nationwide last year on justifiying construction of houses near hillsides, whereby architects needed to comply by producing soil engineering strategies.
Without this, he said the distance of the houses needs to be two times the height of the hill.
“For example, if the hill is 100 feet high then the house should be built 200 feet away,” he added. — Bernama