CAMERON HIGHLANDS, July 17 — Residents here still fear using the Simpang Pulai stretch despite being told the road was safe for use following inspections by soil experts and road engineers.

Cheong Yip Hing, 43, who uses the stretch twice daily, said he fears the road would give way each time he drives past.

"Whenever I use the road, I fear that something would happen, especially during the rainy season. The slope is steep and dangerous.

"Previously, landslides would only occur if the rain continues for more than a week, but now due to the downpour, landslides can happen any time.

"We know the government has done some maintenance in the area, but it wasn’t enough. The steep slope still can be seen. They should do something to cover it,” he added.

Resident Dilip Martin Anthony Rock, 29, said the Public Works Department (PWD) should take immediate action instead of releasing a statement saying that the road is safe to use.

"I think the road should be closed. The slope is getting nearer to the road.

"Road users do not feel safe using the road. The PWD should build an alternative road as there is a possibility of further erosion in the area,” he said.

Dilip, who is from Tanah Rata, added that precautions should be taken by the authorities instead of reacting after an incident.

Regional Environmental Awareness of Cameron Highlands (Reach) president Ramakrishnan Ramasamy, 51, said that the authorities should consider using organic growth mediums such as cocoa peat to cover the slope.

"I think the authorities should use coco peat, which is used in farming, to cover the slope. This organic product contains fertilizer, which could help produce grass.

"We understand the slope is steep and cannot hold heavy vegetation if  it rains, but this organic product is very light and would not be easily moved by rain.

"Furthermore, the price of the coco peat is cheap and the authorities don’t not have to spend large amounts of money to solve this matter,” he said.

Ramakrishnan, who uses the road twice a week, said he was not perturbed about the issue until he saw the picture of the slope on social media.

"I decided to check the slope area and found the slope is actually giving way.

"It’s only a matter of time. If that area is hit by heavy rains, there would be further erosion which could harm road users,” he said.

The relevant authorities have said soil and visual inspections would continue on a daily basis.

"The necessary remedial measures have been put in place and the stretch at Km44 between Simpang Pulai to Cameron Highlands is safe,” said PWD acting director general Datuk Dr Roslan Taha.

On Thursday, photographs showing serious erosion at the slope was circulated on social media, prompting PWD soil technicians and road engineers to conduct inspections.

Roslan said visual and electronic inspections are carried out every three hours as the stretch comes under the sensitive and high-risk category due to its surrounding terrain.

"The necessary remedial works has been done,” he said.

State Public Utilities, Infrastructure, Energy and Water Committee chairman Datuk Zainol Fadzi Paharudin said the condition of the road is not as critical as depicted in pictures.

"A RM10 million allocation has been utilised for remedial works and the 430m stretch is safe to use,” he told reporters when met at the site on Friday.

"The structure of the road has concrete beneath the surface, similar to that of a bridge,” he said.

The works, he added, were completed on December 24 last year.