Don't let developers take control, councils told

Do not let developers take control, deputy minister tells councils

KUALA LUMPUR: Property developers are behaving more and more like local councils, Deputy Housing and Local Government Minister Datuk Raja Kamarul Bahrin Shah said, noting that this has given rise to the current form of townships that are not centralised and are dominated and led by private developers.

There are developers who are acting like local councils as the latter have not been taking the lead, and this is a cause for concern, he said.

Raja Kamarul noted that traditionally, the local governments were the decision makers but this fact has changed of late.

“Long ago, it was the local government that determines what developers should build, creating markets, shopping malls, commercial, industrial, agricultural and entertainment areas, and of course, knowing how many homes need to be built because they know the population in the area,” he said in his keynote address at the opening of the one-day Housing and Property Development Colloquium on “Reimagining the Housing and Property Industry in the New Malaysia” here yesterday.

“But now, the role has shifted to the developers, giving rise to the current form of townships that are not centralised and are dominated and led by private developers,” he said.

“Most concerning is the recent trend that developers are behaving more and more like the local council themselves, in having their own private security for substantial portions of residential and commercial areas as an example, and other provisions of services and infrastructure.

“Although the local governments retain power and control where their approval is needed to build, they have often failed to take a more proactive role,” said Raja Kamarul.

He also highlighted that some local governments have failed in providing basic services to the people, causing developers to step in to fill the void.

“Local governments must find the will and desire to see their own town, cities and districts develop into comfortable townships and not allow developers to take entire pieces of land and create their own defacto privatised local government,” he said.

He also said this is why the government is looking to bring back local government elections, in order to bring back a sense of accountability by local governments.

“Once constituted, citizens can take leaders of the local government to task when services and facilities are not up to par. This should lead to more tangible and improved living conditions for the rakyat,” added Raja Kamarul.

Credit: Ahmad Naqib Idris The Edge Financial Daily

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PAC blamed Penang Island City Council (MBPP) for failing to enforce laws on hillside development

PAC blamed Penang Island City Council (MBPP) for failing to enforce laws on hillside development

Becoming bald: A view of the clearing work seen at Bukit Relau which was visible from the Penang Bridge in November last year.

GEORGE TOWN: The Penang Public Accounts Committee (PAC) had faulted the Penang Island City Council (MBPP) for failing to monitor and enforce laws on hillside development in the state.

In its report on hill land development tabled on May 19, PAC said the lax monitoring not only resulted in unchecked hill clearing, but landowners were able to build houses, chalets, hotels and restaurants on Penang’s hill range.

“This situation happened because of MBPP’s failure to monitor and patrol hill land after notices were issued to landowners.

“This led to risks of soil erosion, landslides, mudslides, river sedimentation and disruptions to the surroundings,” it stated.

PAC’s report gained public attention after Penanti assemblyman Dr Norlela Ariffin brought it up in a dialogue session held by Penang NGOs and residents associations on flood and landslides on Sunday.

She told 200-odd members of the civil society that the report was tabled in the state assembly but never presented.

PAC stated that according to the state Audit Department, out of 31 illegal hill land clearing cases in 2015, four were in the Teluk Bahang water catchment area.

The committee, chaired by Bagan Dalam assemblyman A. Tanasekharan, visited nine of the cases on March 1.

It highlighted the Bukit Relau hill clearing case 410m above sea level and visible from Penang Bridge.

“Media reports and public comments should have been enough for MBPP and other authorities to take immediate action.

“Mitigation works on Bukit Relau have taken so long to be completed. The local authorities neither monitor the work frequently nor supply regular updates,” it added.

On illegal clearing that took place on Penang Hill, PAC expressed frustration that the actual dates and specific locations of the earthworks could not be determined because of the unsatisfactory records and monitoring.

“On Penang Hill, there was confusion on the existing agricultural plot and the new clearings.

“There are no definitions of allowable hill land agricultural works that involves digging,” it added.

PAC also objected to an earlier suggestion by the state Local Government Committee to exclude hill land earthworks related to agricultural activities from needing work permits.

Source: The Star by Arnold Loh

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Wet, wet woes: (Above) Bukit Jambul is flooded once again after an evening downpour.

Firemen installing a pump to draw floodwaters from one of the affected houses on a slope in Hong Seng Estate, Mount Erskine.

GEORGE TOWN: A blocked underground drainage saw six houses located on a slope in Hong Seng Estate, Mount Erskine, flooded during an evening downpour.

Firemen and Civil Defence Force personnel had to install a water pump to draw out the rainwater which flooded some of the units to waist-level.

Rojak seller Tan Swee Hoe, 56, said she was shocked to see her kitchen and living room submerged in water at 7pm yesterday.

“I rushed home after receiving a call from a neighbour, saying my house is flooded.

“But I did not expect such a sight. I did not manage to move my furniture and electrical appliances to the upper floor, thus incurring several thousand ringgit in losses.

“I have been staying here for 17 years and this is the first time my house is flooded,” she said at her house.

Pulau Tikus assemblyman Yap Soo Huey said 17 people from five houses were affected while the sixth house was unoccupied.

She said the Fire and Rescue Department and the Civil Defence Force personnel moved in to install a 400m pipe to pump the water out from the house manually.

“The water is channelled to a nearby river and it may take a few hours if the weather is good,” she said, adding that the district office will evaluate the losses.

Late last month, seven houses in the estate were affected by soil erosion. A consultant engineer Datuk Lim Kok Khong had said the soil erosion was due to water seeping under the ground.

Penang Gerakan secretary H’ng Chee Wey urged the state government, with the aid of the experts, to look into the cause of the problems.

“The state government needs to ensure that the existing infrastructure, including the drainage system, can cope with the demand before it approve new development projects.

“We hope the local authorities can be proactive in the matter,” he added.

Rising waters also flooded the Bukit Jambul area, reducing traffic to a crawl.

Bayan Baru MP Sim Tze Tzin said a RM400,000 flood mitigation project started last month.

“The project will create a shortcut for the floodwater to be discharged directly to Sungai Nibong river instead of passing through Jalan Tun Dr Awang,” he said, adding that the project was expected to be completed at the end of next month.

Source: The Star by chong Kah Yuan

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Underground Pipe Culverts from IJM Trehaus site on the left and nearby pond on the right

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Behind BJ Cove houses at Lintang Bukit Jambul 1 is an IJM Trehaus Project.

  Two invalid pipe culverts formed sinkholes at BJ Cove houses

Originally, there were two natural rivers/streams from the IJM Trehaus site and a nearby pond. No proper drainage system was implemented when housing development started, only two invalid hidden underground pipe culverts were built to channel the waters from the Bukit Jambul hill to Relau district.

The invalid underground pipe culvert from the IJM Trehaus project directly converged at BJ Cove houses from another invalid underground  pipe culvert from a nearby pond were burst, caused soil erosion, house slabs collapsed, multiple wall cracks, PBA water pipe burst, floods, sinkholes (by two pipe culverts converged in red) and damaged  to  BJ Cove houses due to blockages of waters whenever rains and because of lack of drainage system there.  The sinkhole which later converted into a manhole by IJM,  is a clear sign of soil erosion under the ground.

It is a common sense that waters from the natural rivers or streams are naturally running, seeped  through underground even the surface is covered by land-filled soil or with man made culverts.

Therefore, damages to houses were caused by severe soil erosion due to water movement under the road and buildings. 

The following shows the invalid underground pipe culvert from the IJM Trehaus site behind BJ Cove houses at Lintang Bukit Jambul 1:

IJM Underground Pipe Culvert to BJ Cove houses 2018

Waters rising from the IJM Pipe Culvert behind BJ Cove houses 2018

Waters are flowing back from another pipe culvert at IJM site to BJ Cove houses 2018

IJM Underground Pipe Culvert at bottom to BJ Cove houses 2018

IJM modifying/constructing their underground pipe Culvert in 2014 to BJ Cove Houses

IJM modifying/constructing their underground pipe Culvert in 2014 to BJ Cove Houses

IJM Underground Pipe Culvert to BJ Cove Houses 

IJM Drains

IJM Drain Waters go  to the underground Culvert

IJM Underground Pipe Culvert next to BJ Cove Houses

The above and below show the bottoms of  IJM underground pipe culvert 

Waters gushing down from IJM Trehaus site to BJ Cove houses:

Waters flow from IJM Trehaus to BJ Cove houses

 

Waters gushing down from IJM Trehaus site to BJ Cove houses

Waters from IJM site stucked at behind BJ Cove houses

The nearby pond besides IJM Trehaus site:

The nearby pond was flooded

IJM Hill cutting and hill Clearing 2014

Serious Drainage Issues

The Department of Irrigation and Drainage (DID or JPS) has just started in September 2017 constructing the drain from the pond to divert waters:

A drain under construction by JPS to divert waters from the nearby pond

Drain waters flow plan under construction by JPS to divert waters from the nearby pond

 Letter from Penang Dept of Irrigation and Drainage (DID or JPS) in 2015 blamed IJM  failure to comply with sedement control plan (ESCP) when its Trehaus started in 2014.

Clearly, the underground pipe culverts leaked and waters seeped through the ground and multiple cracks,  as it did not happen immediately but over a period of time!

Developers dishonored directives/letters issued by Penang City Council (MBPP - Majlis Perbandaran Pulau Pinang) in 2015 to rectify the damaged house

Developers have not completed their committments to rectify the damages despite  acknowledged their liability as per letters from Worldwide Venture Sdn Bhd, an subsidiary of IJM Land since 2014!

 

 

Despite the underground pipe culverts declared invalid by JPS and the Penang City Council's (Majlis Perbandaran Pulau Pinang, i.e. MBPP) issued stop work orders directing the developers, Worldwide Venture Sdn Bhd, a subsidiary of IJM Land to rectify the damages within 1 and 2 weeks time since 2015 (as per the above attached letters), the multiple wall cracks, slabs collapsed, PBA water pipes burst, leakage charges, damaging ceiling, electrical DB board, and tiles fallen, broken/popped up,  are still pending settlement and remedial works to be carried out by parties responsible for the damages since 2014 !!

IJM Land only started in December 2017 constructing new drainage to divert waters from Trehaus Site to the pond and underground pipe culverts:

 

Pictures show IJM only started in December 2017 constructing drainage system to divert waters to the nearby pond and underground pipe culverts

Waters are flowing back to the pond during heavy rain 2018

Waters from IJM site overflown to the pond 2018

For waters to flow out smoothly, the pond must level up with more soils, 2018

Waters in the pond gone up during heavy rain 2018 - must build a wall  to prevent waters from seeping thru houses.

Waters cannot move out smoothly due to obstructions which are being removed by a man  2018

 

It is important that the pond should be made a dried pond instead of existing wet pond on the following reasons:

i) The area was originally a natural river/stream where waters will still be naturally running, seeped through underground even when the underground culverts are to be closed/abandoned later.

 

ii) More waters were being diverted from the IJM site to their underground pipe  culvert and to BJ Cove houses.

 

iii) Now, drain waters from IJM site are being channeled back to IJM pipe culvert to BJ Cove houses at Lintang Bukit Jambul 1 where a manhole next to house no. 20 constructed by IJM is not closed despite it has been declared invalid and illegal by JPS!  This poses concerns to residents at BJ  Cove houses.

c

IJM Drain water Pipe Culvert Site to BJ Cove houses

IJM Drain water Pipe Culvert Site to BJ Cove houses

Waters stuck behind BJ Cove houses at IJM site 2018

IJM Drain  waters  gushing  down to pipe culvert

Sinkhole at house 20 is covered up by IJM's underground pipe culvert from  IJM Trehaus

 

The damaged houses are still pending, not being completely rectified to date !

Damages appeared after IJM began construction works in 2014, like hill clearing, rock-blasting, piling and digging culvert at Trehaus site.  As a result, sinkholes appeared, floods, waters seepage through multiple cracks on the ground, walls, tiles fallen from roofs and popped up from the ground due to vibration from rock-blasting and piling works.

 

Sinkhole converted to manholes (2 in cycles) at BJ Cove houses are visible from the top of IJM Trehasu site

Pictures showing floods, sinkholes at Lintang Bukit Jambul 1, 11900 Penang,  damaged to BJ Cove houses, cracks, waters leakages seeped through the cracks, slabs collapsed, ceilings & tiles broken & fallen, electrical DB board explosion, etc caused by severe soil erosion due to water movement under the road and buildings. The underground pipe leaked and waters seeped through the cracks!

A big Sinkhole near BJ Cove house no. 20

IJM converted the sinkhole into a manhole waters from their underground pipe culvert at Trehaus

These are IJM Manhole converted from Sinkhole:

Sinkhole at house 20 is covered up by IJM's underground pipe culvert from  IJM Trehaus

IJM converting the Sinkhole into Manhole next to  BJ Cove no. 20

Outside house drain and fence damaged by IJM during mitigation of Sinkhole

A big Sinkhole occurred due to invalid underground pipes culverts choked near house no. 20

 

Waters at the underground pipe culverts flown out from the house No. 20 to outside drain

 

Slabs collapsed due to cracks without compacted hardcore

  Ceiling Board fallen due to strong vibration caused by IJM rock-blasting works 2014

Roof top Ceiling Board fallen due to strong vibration caused by IJM rock-blasting works 2014

Electric DB Board explored due to burst pipe waters seeped thru the wiring.

RM25k Kitchen damaged by concealed water pipes burst due to IJM Rock-blasting works 2015

Waters leaked from the burst pipes entered into Bedrooms

 Multiple Cracks in Bedrooms 

External drain  and fence broken due to the sinking ground caused by the underground pipe culvert developed into Sinkhole (IJM Manhole from Trehaus site) just next to the house 

 

Plumbers repaired the broken water pipes

 

Truth Be Told:

The truths be told,  as echoed, reinforced and justified by recent events in  Penang floods on 15th Sept 2017,  Landslides in Tanjung Bungah on 21 October 2017, the storm on Nov 4 & 5 2017, floods again on Jan 5, 2018, and the Huge 'bleeding' landslide in Tg Bungah hill  on May/June 2018  in related posts,

.... see more on links to following reports:

Penang hit by floods again !

https://youtu.be/ooyXvqmxbvw GEORGE TOWN: Some 20 houses located on a slope in Hong Seng Estate in Mount Erskine were flooded due

Hills, landslides, floods and damaged houses ...

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Call to reassess Penang hillside projects, councillor addresses full council meeting of MBPP

Penang Forum-nominated councillor addresses full council meeting of MBPP

PAC blamed Penang Island City Council (MBPP) for failing to enforce laws on hillside development  

 

We demand immediate enforcement & Actions to complete the remedial works:

 

1. The parties responsible must quickly without further delays, without condition to settle the claims and start the remedial works to the damaged houses, as both JPS has declared underground pipe culverts invalid and  MBPP has  issued stop work orders directed the developers, Worldwide Venture Sdn Bhd, a subsidiary of IJM Land to rectify the damages within 1 and 2 weeks time since 2015!

2. Enforce IJM's & MBPP' Letters/Stop-work Orders (attached in above), and divert waters from the two invalid underground pipe culverts deemed illegal at the IJM Trehaus site and nearby ponds which must be closed and grouted as a long term solution to the problems. 

 

3. Enforce a fresh cease and desist to Stop Work of IJM Trehaus construction project until the structural damages to house at 20 Lintang Bukit Jambul 1, BJ Cove have been resolved and settled the claim for damages and distress caused by the fear and danger of living in the house, without further delays and their suffering more than four years since 2014.  Repairs and remedial works must start promptly as more damages and suffering will fellow!

 

4. Beef up the enforcement and accountability not just in government agencies but also in professional bodies, like the Board Of Engineers Malaysia (BEM),  the Institute of Engineers Malaysia (IEM), etc to uphold the professional ethics, integrity and standards, to ensure public safety of the buildings and people life.

 

5. The pond must be made a Dried pond for waters to flow out smoothly, because there was originally two natural rivers/streams in the area where waters will still be running/seeping through naturally under the ground. 

 

 6.  Now, drain waters from IJM site are being channeled back their underground pipe culvert flowing to BJ Cove houses at Lintang Bukit Jambul 1 where a manhole next to house no. 20 constructed by IJM  is not closed despite it has been declared invalid and illegal by JPS!  This is a great concern to residents at BJ  Cove houses. We want JPS and MPPP to close & grout the manhole promptly.

 

7. Damaged house owners firmly reserve all their rights to take all necessary legal steps against those responsible exclusion their liabilities.

Findings from Penang Forum 

Dr Kam, a scientist, focused on expansion of impermeable surface area (caused by ill­ planned development and replacing natural ground cover such as hills, fields and trees that act as a water ­absorbing sponge) and soil erosion and landslides (caused by cutting and development in hill areas) as two factors that need special attention.

She quoted Datuk Kam U Tee, the Penang Water Authority general manager (1973~­90), as having correctly explained the Penang floods of October 2008, as follows: the floods were caused by conversion of the Paya Terubong and Bayan Baru valleys into “concrete aprons that do not retain water. The water immediately flows into streams causing flash floods even with moderate rainfall. Because of hill­cutting activities, the flowing water causes erosion of the slopes which carries mud and silt into the river beds”. ( The Star, Oct 24, 2008).

See more  ....
 

Penang floods and landslides, looking beyound natural causes!

Credits - Slides presented by Environmental, health and safety consultant Aziz Noor, and scientist Dr Kam Suan Pheng at the Penang Forum event on Oct 29, 2017

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Penang bald Hillslopes a "time bomb"

Practise true CAT for Sustainable Development

• Penang government must provide a COMPETENT flood mitigation plan for the state starting with a comprehensive Drainage Master Plan Study and not slogan.

• The Penang government has to be ACCOUNTABLE to the people and not private developers. In other words, ‘Politicians should be ‘wakil rakyat’ and not ‘wakil pemaju’. If certain waterways and catchment areas have to be gazetted as permanent drainage and storage areas, then so be it. 

• The safety and well-being of the Rakyat has to come first.  In the interest of  TRANSPARENCY, Penang has to launch an inquiry into how the local council approved property developments on slopes without adequate slope protection.

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1. Wanted: Leaders who listen !
2. Sustainable Development in Penang
3. Call to reassess Penang hillside projects, councillor addresses full council meeting of MBPP
4. Penang landslide, whose faults?



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 MBPP among four named as responsible in fatal Penang landslide
 

 “This is no simple incident as nine deaths resulted from it. Very stern action must be taken against the MBPP, and that includes strong disciplinary action against the mayor and officers responsible.

“Otherwise, it will be business-as-usual in the MBPP as the officers will be allowed to go scot-free with impunity.

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Use technology to learn more about them before casting your vote Cheah taking a wefie with Tanjung Bungah assemblyman Teh Yee Cheu (be...

 Wanted: Leaders who listen !

Turning a blind eye: The grumblings over exposed hills are growing louder but little is being done to rectify the situation   G...

When tongues wag and tales grow: be aware of politicians gone to the dogs!

  With the GE imminent, politicians are already snarling at each other, hoping to score points early. I love dogs. I’ve always had o...

Penang flooding: are natural disasters man-made?

It’s hard to deny when the effects of climate change are all around us  Andrew Sheng says that from increasingly intense hurricanes t...

Sustainable Development in Penang

Why did MBPP approve the Tanjung Bungah development project? Read more at https://www.malaysiakini.com/letters/399357#qbRd534yu1JfC551....

Hills, landslides, floods and damaged houses: What to do?

https://youtu.be/kslhytLg-Wc Hills, landslides and floods: What to do?   The mega floods in Penang which followed the landslide...

Penang bald Hillslopes a "time bomb"

Choong (in white) surveying the deforested hillslope next to Majestic Heights. PENANG MCA has raised concerns about the safety of the r...

Floods hit Bujkit Jambul & Hong Seng Esate in Penang

Wet, wet woes: (Above) Bukit Jambul is flooded once again after an evening downpour. Firemen installing a pump to draw floodwater...

Call to reassess Penang hillside projects, councillor addresses full council meeting of MBPP

Council should not bow to development or political pressure, says city councilor, Khoo ‘Politicians should be ‘wakil rakyat’ and n...

Penang floods, support pours in for dialogue

(From left) Dr Kam will deliver a talk on ‘Understanding the Causes of Floods and Seeking Solutions. State assemblymen expressing inter...

Penang landslide, whose faults?

https://youtu.be/4qaOB1n5tgA GEORGE TOWN: The Penang Island City Council has lodged a police report against the consultant of the aff...

Penang landslide tragedy, why it happened?

Speaking out: Penang Forum members protesting outside the CAP office in George Town. Don’t just make it about worker safety issues ..

Penang landslide tragedy, plea went unheeded, no one listened !

https://youtu.be/QB45Q2_mOG0 Suspicious activity: A photo taken from Penang social activist Anil Netto's blog showing an active s..

  Call for action on flooding solution

Some representatives of the 24 residents associations and management corporations showing messages urging the state to resolve the flood...

Make environment our 2018 priority

Our Environment is Our Life - YouTube THE year has barely started, and already we have so many reports of weather and climate-related e...

Absorb New ways to prevent floods

Sponge City: Solutions for China's Thirsty & Flooded cities  China's 'sponge city' projects may be worthwhile examp...

  Getting titles right in the engineering field in Malaysia ..

RECENTLY, the Institution of Engineers Malaysia (IEM) received an enquiry on the usage of the title “Engr.” for members of the institution. The title “Ir” was first introduced by IEM in the early 1970s for both the graduate and corporate members of the Inst...Getting titles right in the engineering field in Malaysia rightwaystosuccess.blogspot.com

 2 structures collapse due to incompetent engineers and irresponsible officer of MPPP/MBPP

 

 Penang has acknowledged the Hills Clearing cases reported by Penang Forum

 

Penang Forum tells Chief Minister: the unmitigated disasters on hill projects 

Wall and awning collapsed in house near construction site

Hills clearing in Penang: NGOs not impressed with mitigation work at Botak Hill 

Penang Island City Council, MBPP councilor Dr Lim fed up change not happening in Penang

 

Penang Forum concerns over hill clearing and floods; the Declaration & Recommendation 

 

 Penang flood aftermath: design pump system needed to drain out water, fix funding snag ...

Rage against hill road plan: We don't want that road, says Penang residents

  Long and winding road: This satellite picture from Google Earth Pro shows five planned interchanges of the Teluk Bahang-Tanjung Bun...

Graft destroys nature as Corrupt officers see no evil as environment is being ravaged

Humans Are Destroying the Environment   PETALING JAYA: They are supposed to be guardians of the environment, and yet “certain enforcem...

Corruption has no place in any culture

LATELY, we have been seeing many photographs and a lot of video footage of handcuffed men and women in orange T-shirts bearing the wor...

IJM and Genting excluded from investments wealth fund due to severe environmental damage
Environmental issues: IJM and Genting have interests in palm oil operations. Norwegian fund to call off investments on environmental iss...

RM40mil siphoned off from the Malaysian Human Resources, Skills Development Fund Corp !

PETALING JAYA: Some RM40mil from the Skills Development Fund Corp is believed to have been siphoned off by those tasked with utilising it.

Taiwan developer detained over deadly quake building collapse ...

The developer of a building in Taiwan that partially collapsed during an earthquake has been detained for negligent manslaughter with prosecutors saying the man was not licensed to oversee construction projects. The lower floors of the 12-storey Yun Tsui residential building which also housed a restaurant and hotel pancaked when a 6.4-magnitude quake struck the tourist hotspot of Hualien on February 6. A total of 17 people died across the eastern coastal town, 14 of them in the...

Getting titles right in the engineering field in Malaysia