Landslide near Genting and Vistana Heights

 

The image above is the as-built survey of the first two semi-detached houses which were subsequently changed to a 3 story detached house. Note the land slip marked as 15.51m. The original height was 23.86. This means the land slip is (23.86 - 15.51) 8.35 metres. That is more than a 27 feet slip. This house has yet to be completed and is an eye-sore.

I asked Mr. Andy Osman, the architect of LPPB, to find out why there is no retention wall behind the houses with a steep fall of about 20 feet.

After the meeting on 16.11.2022 with the developer, engineers, architect, officers from LPPB and others, Mr. Andy informed me that the developer told the people at the meeting that the trees, below on the ground where the drainage reserve is, will protect the soil from slipping. He further informed me that the engineers present supported the developer in this thought.

Huh! I really did not study this in any of the subjects in school. What was I doing in school? Ah! Perhaps this is what is taught in Engineering colleges. Trees beside a hill will protect the hill from collapsing - why did I not know this?

I had pointed out to Mr. Andy, before the meeting, that the original Development Plan had two semi-detached houses at the beginning and two sets of semi-detached houses at the end of the row. Subsequently there was a land slip of more than 20 feet at each end. The architect then drew another plan where two detached three story houses were to be built in their stead.

My question that Mr. Andy asked at the meeting on 3.11.2022 was responded by ‘the trees around the slope are enough to sustain and contain the soil erosion’. This answer, I am told, is based on their engagement of geotechnical consultant.

If the geotechnical consultants had made such a report and the original development had semi-detached houses how did the land slip by more than 20 feet? This question has yet to be responded to. The developer had claimed that the soil report is somewhere in their files and will be handed over to LPPB. It has been more than a month and the report has yet to surface.

A DBKK officer had visited the site together with the consulting engineer and developer on 21.9.2022 to examine the cracked retaining wall I had complained about. The DBKK officer informed me that a written report explaining the crack will be forwarded to DBKK but the report has yet to be seen. Mr. Andy said that he had requested the written report from the engineers at the meeting and it is now more than a month since the meeting.

Apparently, the retaining wall that has been cracking between the first 2 semi-detached houses and the next two semi-detached houses and patched up each time it cracks is just surface cracking. Apparently it is not significant as these houses have not been given occupancy certificate yet.

There is about 3 to 4 feet of land behind the perimeter fence which is cemented to ‘prevent soil erosion’. This area too is frequently re-cemented when new cracks appear. Perhaps, the engineers can explain why these cracks appear.

Do we have to have the same disaster that has occurred at Genting?

Which engineer is willing to sign a guarantee that there will be no land slip at Vistana Heights?

To the question in the Daily Express – ‘Who should be responsible for this?’ – should we also include the indifferent citizens who read that article and did not voice their opinion?