KUALA LUMPUR: Property developer Gasing Meridian has shot down news reports that have linked its development work to recent landslides in Bukit Gasing.
Managing director Kenneth Tan expressed his concern during a press conference yesterday over the media’s apparent confusion as to the location of the landslides.
“I cannot speak for the other sites but there have been no landslides at Gasing Meridian,” he said. “I survey the area on a regular basis and let me officially say, there have been no landslides. Period.”
Gasing Meridian is the developer of the Sanctuary Ridge Kuala Lumpur project in Bukit Gasing, consisting of 70 luxury bungalow units.
The developer recently won a five-year legal battle against Bukit Gasing residents who wanted the project halted for fear of landslides and environmental damage.
Four landslides took place in Bukit Gasing over the past week. One occurred close to Maxwell Towers and news reports have linked it to Gasing Meridian’s development work.
Bukit Gasing Joint Action Committee member Gary Yeoh yesterday showed the media what he said were photographs of the landslides, including the one near Maxwell Towers.
Tan, after looking at the photos, however said the area in question was not on Gasing Meridian’s site.
“We take our responsibility as a developer very seriously,” he said. “We’re developing the area step by step which is the right procedure.”
“When we expose the earth it looks as if a landslide had occurred but it is actually man-made hill cutting.
“We’ve also set up adequate buffer zones between our development site and the residential areas, including Gasing Indah and the Syabas pipeline and reservoir.”
Tan said the Sanctuary Ridge project had undergone thorough investigations that spanned four years and it was also subjected to the scrutiny of 13 agencies, including the Department of Environment and the Department of Minerals and Geoscience.
| Victor showing a picture of the 'landslide' area to Tan. |
Maxwell Tower resident, Victor Oorjitham, later took fz.com to his apartment on the 23rd floor, from where the landslide area was visible. The patch of exposed land was behind a green fence which he said was on Gasing Meridian’s development site.
Victor, 82, pointed out that the buffer zone between the green fence and Maxwell Tower’s wire fence was very narrow and that any further landslides would affect Maxwell Tower residents.
Yeoh, meanwhile, appealed to Kuala Lumpur City Hall to re-examine all hillside developments and keep the Bukit Gasing residents informed on monitoring procedures and reports.
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This article first appeared in The Edge Financial Daily, on Jan 30, 2013.