Landslides Strike At The Crack Of Dawn

(Bernama Photos)

Tragedies seem to strike in the early hours when you are sound asleep.

Last Saturday’s landslide in Bukit Antarabangsa took place about 4am, killing four people, one unaccounted for, 17 injured and 14 bungalows buried.

On May 15, 1999, more than 10,000 residents in Bukit Antarabangsa were trapped when a 100-metre long landslide occurred at 5.20am and cut off the only access road to the hilly residential area. There were no casualties.

I was one of the affected residents who had to go through so much discomfort for quite some time after the tragedy. Authorities were however quick in opening a new access road through Sungai Sering for the residents. But the road was soiled and muddy but we had no choice but to bear with the difficulties.

Back then, we were lucky that the landslide did not cause any loss of lives.

Several other landslides took place at the crack of dawn. On Nov 20, 2002 a landslide at 4.30am flattened the double-storey bungalow of Affin Bank Bhd chairman Gen (Rtd) Tan Sri Ismail Omar.

His wife, Puan Sri Azizah Abdul Aziz, his son Hijaz, two in-laws, two grandchildren and two Indonesian maids, perished in the 4.35am incident.

The bungalow was located 300m away from the Highland Towers.

On May 31, 2006, four people including two children were killed when they were buried alive in a landslide that flattened three blocks of longhouses at Kampung Pasir during a heavy downpour at 4.45pm.

In the latest landslide in Bukit Antarabangsa, I was one of the fortunate residents who were not directly affected by the tragedy.

My house which I bought in 1993 is sited at Taman Bukit Mulia, which is a valley at Bukit Antarabangsa, with access road from Kampung Pasir, the entrance to UK Perdana, another housing area. This road was built after the May 1999 landslide.

Since last Saturday’s incident, I have been consoling myself and family as well as those who phoned and sent SMSs to me after the landslide that my house is on a valley and far away from the tragedy. Of course, I was worried, who wouldn’t!.

I was in Kelantan when the landslide occurred. For the first time ever, I spent Hari Raya in a kampong environment. So, when my sister, whose late husband is from Kelantan threw the idea of spending our Hari Raya Aidil Adha at her in-laws’ village, I simply agreed.

After all, I had no plans despite taking two weeks leave. We headed for Kelantan on Friday and returned on Tuesday, second day of Hari Raya.

On reaching Wangsa Ukay to grab some Ramly burgers at our favourite stall, I noticed the congestion in the vicinity, with cars parked at every corner.

Some 3,000 to 5,000 residents have been asked to vacate their homes and those involved are
those from Impian Selatan, Jalan 9 and 11, Taman Wangsa Ukay, Jalan 6, Taman Bukit Jaya and Taman Bukit Mewah.

On the valley are Taman Bukit Mulia (phase one and two), Villa Duta and Villaria condominiums, a surau and second phase of Riverdale Park apartments. Some 3,000 to 5,000 people are staying in these areas.

From 10,000 in 1999, the population of Bukit Antarabangsa could have reached 15,000 -20,000 people by now. Bukit Antarabangsa is also dubbed Malaysia’s Beverly Hills, with many local artistes staying in the neighbourhood. Among them is Malay pop diva Datuk Siti Nurhaliza Tarudin with her husband Datuk Seri Khalid Muhammad Jiwa, whose RM6 million bungalow is located not far from where the landslide occurred.

Since the landslide, traffic at the Wangsa Ukay area which also sites Giant, Burger King, Petronas petrol station, Restoran Wangsa Ukay (mamak restaurant) and several shophouses, is congested, with police, Federal Reserve Unit and army vehicles plying the area round-the-clock.

About 200 metres away is a food court, with a 24-hour mamak restaurant, Restoran Al-Kaafah fast becoming a popular haunt for folks.

Meanwhile, the Armed Forces (ATM) and the Public Works Department (PWD) have completed the construction of a 250-metre permanent bridge over a drain, to link Jalan Bukit Antarabangsa and Jalan Bukit Mewah.

The bridge, which will stretch across a large drain running along Jalan Bukit Antarabangsa, will connect residents to Jalan Bukit Mewah 2 and provide crucial access to Taman Bukit Mewah, Taman Bukit Utama residents after the main access road was cut off by last Saturday’s landslide.

Bukit Antarabangsa has recently turned into an army zone, with the sounds of helicopters above our rooftops. It will be a matter of time when things return to normal.

Let’s hope that follow-up action is taken to prevent another landslide from recurring.

My heart goes out to the families of victims who perished in the landslide. And to all who escaped the tragedy, let us pray to God for our safety.