The Bukit Antarabangsa landslide disaster yesterday, claiming at least five lives, injuring at least 15 and dislocating thousands of residents after destroying 14 bungalows, is sheer criminal negligence after the Highland Towers tragedy which killed 48 people 15 years ago.
Clearly, the lessons of the Highland Towers tragedy 15 years ago have not been learnt by anyone, least of all the various government agencies, whether at the federal, state or local government level.
The Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi yesterday lamented that “Malaysians never want to learnt from past experiences” – “They want good views while developers only seek to profit; but no one takes safety and soil stability into consideration”.
Conspicuously absent from Abdullah’s blame list are the various government agencies and authorities who should be even more culpable in giving approvals or closing an eye to dangerous hillside developments and in totally ignoring the lessons of the Highland Towers tragedy 15 years ago.
I visited the site of the Bukit Antarabangsa landslide tragedy this morning together with several DAP MPs – Dr. Tan Seng Giaw (Kepong), Fong Kui Lun (Bukit Bintang), Lim Lip Eng (Segambut), Teo Nie Ching (Serdang) – Selangor State Exco Member Ean Yong Hian Wah (Seri Kembangan) and Lee Ying Ha (Teratai) and I was shocked that the Minister for Housing and Local Government, Datuk Ong Ka Chuan had still to make his appearance at the site although it was more than 24 hours after the tragedy.
When the Highland Towers tragedy occurred on Dec. 11, 1993, the then Housing and Local Government Minister, Datuk Dr. Ting Chew Peh, was immediately on the scene and stayed for hours. Where is Ong Ka Chuan?
Parliament must prove its relevance by having an immediate debate on why the lessons of the Highland Towers tragedy 15 years ago have not been learnt or the Bukit Antarabangsa landslide disaster yesterday would not have happened.
MPs from both the Barisan Nasional and Pakatan Rakyat should speak loud end clear in Parliament on Wednesday to express their condemnation of the criminal negligence which had failed to learn from the Highland Towers tragedy to prevent the Bukit Antarabangsa landslide disaster yesterday.
I call on Ka Chdua to work with the Works Minister and the Environment Minister to present a ministerial statement on the Bukit Antarabangsa landslide tragedy in Parliament when MPs reconvene on Wednesday and to ensure that his ministerial statement is followed by a full parliamentary debate.
A Royal Commission of Inquiry should be established to inquire not only into the Bukit Antarabangsa landslide tragedy, but even more important, why the lessons of the Highland Towers tragedy 15 years ago have not been learnt by all the parties concerned, including the federal, state and local government authorities as to prevent yesterday’s tragedy from happening.
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