Media Statement
by DAP Negeri Sembilan State Secretary, Loke Siew Fook
on Thursday, October 17, 2002
in Taman Permai, Seremban

Call on the Negeri Sembilan state government to immediately allocate RM5,000 to each affected family as an emergency relief fund and the Seremban Municipal Council and IWK to be fully responsible to repair the retaining walls that collapsed and affected houses


Eleven families staying in Taman Permai were ordered to evacuate their houses by the Fire Rescue and Service Department on Monday night after a landslide following a three- hour downpour damaged sections of their houses and caused the collapsed of the retaining wall of the Indah Water Konsortium (IWK) oxidation pond behind the houses.

Some residents whose houses were badly damaged have reportedly blamed IWK for failing to carry out regular maintenance at its pond and surrounding area. However, IWK has responded and claimed no responsibility for the incident because the pond was de-commissioned last year following the opening of a new IWK plant in Kuala Sawah. IWK head of communication, Amin Lin Abdullah said that the Seremban Municipal Council should be responsible as the retaining wall that collapsed was located outside the area of the pond.

DAP Negeri Sembilan would not want to argue of who should bear the full responsibility but we urge the Negeri Sembilan state government to ensure that either the Seremban Municipal Council or IWK must be fully responsible to bear all the costs to repair the retaining wall behind the houses and the costs to repair all affected houses. They must ensure the safety of the houses and not victimize any residents.

As the evacuation of the families were an emergency precautious, DAP Negeri Sembilan call on the Negeri Sembilan state government to immediately allocate RM5,000 to each affected family as an emergency relief fund to at least help the affected families to pay for shelter, food and any losses of income caused by the event.

The incident should act as a warning to the local council to be more concerned about Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) report before any development projects in the future. If there were a proper and professional EIA report and regular checks and maintenance, such an incident might not occur.