IPOH, Dec 2 — Residents of Panorama Tambun Perdana (The Dales) are up in arms following land clearing activities on the foothill of Gunung Panjang which is next to their homes.
The residents are concerned that the land clearing activities may trigger a rockfall, landslide and flash flood because of the close proximity of the housing area to the limestone hill.
Speaking to the reporters, Wong Pek Yin, 50, who represents the residents here said that the contractor who cleared the land told them that he has a joint venture with the owner of the land to start a durian plantation.
“When we confronted the contractor, he said that he had sought permission from the state Islamic Affairs and Malay Customs Council who owns a Muslim Cemetery Reserve on the hill, to clear the land.
“However, the cemetery reserve is located far above the hill. The place they are clearing now is of the Ipoh City Council recreational area,” she said at a press conference here today.
Wong also pointed out that the area which the contractor is clearing now is where the buffer zone is located.
“The developers who build the housing area had prepared a safety zone in the hill so that if any landslide or rockfall happens, it will not affect the housing area which is located about 30 metres from the hill.
“However, the contractor is clearing the safety zone and we are worried that something might happen to the residents here,” she said.
Wong also points out that the Perak Minerals and Geoscience Department has certified that the hill is sensitive to any physical disturbances due to the colluvial deposits, which consist of soft soil and limestone.
“The hill is not suitable for any activities. Even if the contractor plant the durian on the cemetery reserve, which is far above the housing area, it will still invite danger to the people who stay nearby following [sic] the condition of the soil,” she said.
Wong said this is the second time such clearing activities have happened here.
“Back in February 2011, a contractor who rented the cemetery reserve from the owner to start a farm herb cleared the land.
“However, we resident found out that the land was not used for planting herb, instead the contractor was mining the area to remove the iron ores found in the hill,” she said.
Wong said around 102 residents, which is about 97 per cent from The Dales housing community, had signed and submitted a petition to Perak Mentri Besar and the state Land and Mine Office on November 28.
“We have also sent copies of the petition to the City Council and the state Islamic Affairs and Malay Customs Council. The petition was also sent to Perak Sultan on November 29.
“The contents of the petition are the same as the previous petition that we submitted to the authorities back in 2011.
“We oppose to any development and we appeal so that the cemetery reserve will be relocated to another place and we want the authorities to declare the area as a permanent buffer zone,” she said.
Meanwhile, Ipoh Barat Barisan Nasional Public Service and Complaints Centre chief Mohd Rawi Abdullah, who is helping the residents, said that he will write a report to the state Land and Mine Office and to the owner of the cemetery reserve in order to put a stop to the land clearing activities.
