River of mud causes fear in Rawang

Rawang state assemblyman Gan Pei Nei (second from right) being briefed about the soil erosion problem in Bukit Rawang Jaya. – The Malaysian Insider pic by Basil Foo, June 7, 2015.

Heavy rain caused a longstanding erosion issue to flare up again as the drains at Bukit Rawang Jaya, in Rawang, Selangor, started to fill with mud.

“The drains had soil in them. This has been happening for the past two years whenever there is heavy rain,” said a shopkeeper who wanted to be known as Chow.

Having run his business there for the past 10 years, he said the recent flow of mud was not as bad as before but it was still a cause for concern.

The businessman said that last year, around the Deepavali period, the rain was so heavy that his shop was flooded.

“I just don’t want to see the water rise again,” he said.

Rawang state assemblyman Gan Pei Nei visited the area recently with officials from the Engineering Department of the Selayang Municipal Council (MPS).

She said the flow of mud was believed to have been caused by developers doing earthworks for a housing project nearby.

“The developers actually did illegal earthworks last September causing floods in Bukit Rawang Jaya. MPS compounded the developers and took them to court,” she said.

The compound amounted to RM25,000 and the case was settled out of court on condition the developer would bear the cost for the repair work.

Gan explained that the developer was now constructing a retention pond and a drainage system to minimise the flooding.

“The cost of all this (retention pond and drain) work is estimated at RM500,000. The cost is borne by the developer,” she said.

She added that due to the developer’s bad record, the local council had included a condition where the former would have to provide a RM3 million deposit.

The developer’s deposit will be used for repair or clean up work should any future soil erosion occur.

- TMI