IPOH, June 11 — Residents of Panorama Tambun Perdana (The Dales) here are upset and frustrated after land at the foot of Gunung Panjang, which is next to their homes, was cleared for the third time since 2011.
The residents are worried and suspicious after the same contractor, who previously cleared the foothill to plant durians back in 2017, returned again to build a boundary fence in the area.
Wong Pek Yin, 53, who represents the residents, said that the matter was confirmed by the State Islamic Affairs and Malay Customs Council (MAIPK), who owns a Muslim Cemetery Reserve on the hill.
“Clearing and earthwork started on June 4 with an excavator. It was confirmed that no approval from the relevant authorities was obtained for the construction work,” she told a press conference.
“The method of construction and area that he cleared are not near the boundary. His (contractor) real intentions are very suspicious,” she added.
She also highlighted that a letter from MAIPK to the Mentri Besar’s Office dated November 1, 2019 stated that the land at the foothill has been set aside for MAIPK to use as a cemetery.
She also questioned the need for fencing now since the land has yet to be used as a cemetery.
“In the previous attempts, all the contractors lied about their real intentions and disregarded the fact that the area is at the foot of a limestone hill and started clearing the jungle and carrying out earthwork which affected the stability of the hill.
“It appears that greed is the driving force of these attempts to exploit the reserve without any concern or respect for the consequences.
“There is no commercial or economical reason to exploit this property. It was donated to MAIPK as a cemetery reserve,” she said.
Wong said that although the contractor has stopped work since June 10, she added that residents are worried he will apply for work approval and continue with his activities once it is obtained.
“Who wants to live next to a mine or farm or any activity that is ready to slide into their property because the reserve will become so unstable if developed?” she asked.
She also pointed 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 fact the contractors used heavy machinery to dig the foothill is a physical disturbance to the foothill and will for sure affect the stability of the hilI,” she added.
She also said that they have gathered 102 signatures from the residents and submitted their objections via a petition dated June 9 to various authorities, including the Perak Sultan, Mentri Besar’s Office, State Land and Mines Office, MAIPK, Ipoh City Council and State Environmental Department.
“The residents oppose any work or development to the said reserve and urge the authorities to relocate the cemetery reserve and declare the area as a permanent buffer zone,” she said.
In 2011, Wong said that a contractor first cleared the land at the foothill, claiming to be planting herbs, but in fact was there to mine iron ore tailings.
And in 2017, she said another contractor started clearing work, claiming to plant durians, but instead dug rocks at the old ore mine.
Meanwhile, Sahabat Alam Malaysia field officer Meor Razak Meor Abdul Rahman, who was present at the press conference, said that the land should be gazetted as a protected area.
“To ensure the long-term preservation of the land, it has to be gazetted as a protected area.
“Only after that can an agency manage the area. Now the land is still under MAIPK,” he said.
Also present during the press conference were officials from Dales Associaition Berhad, Ipoh Barat Barisan Nasional Public Service and Complaints Centre chief Mohd Rawi Abdullah and Persatuan Aktivis Sahabat Alam president Hafizudin Nasarudin.
Meanwhile, Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Ahmad Faizal Azumu said that his office is aware of the matter and will take appropriate action.
“We will try to resolve the matter as soon as possible,” he told reporters briefly during a press conference in his office at the State Secretariat Building here.
