00:00The relief of finally being allowed home turned to shock for residents of the
00:04Taman United low-cost flats in Kuala Lumpur. More than a month after a
00:09landslide forced the evacuation of 52 units in Block C, residents who returned
00:14on January 1st found their homes in deplorable condition, with mud, flood
00:19damage and debris. Some also reported break-ins and shattered window panes,
00:24raising concerns over security during the evacuation period.
00:27Ground-floor resident Vivekanantan Segeran said there were clear signs of
00:32intrusion in his flat. Apart from a broken lock, he said the fridge and cupboards
00:37were tilted, suggesting someone had rummaged through them. However, he said
00:42flood damage was even more distressing, leaving the unit unlivable for his
00:46family. The father of three, with another child on the way, said they had no choice
00:51but to seek alternative accommodation. Another resident, Jenny Ung, said
00:57her sister's unit had also been broken into, with a pearl necklace missing. She
01:02added that residents were not informed by Kuala Lumpur City Hall or DBKL that they
01:07were allowed to return.
01:09The evacuation followed the collapse of about 60 meters of a retaining wall fronting the
01:14four-storey flats along Jalan Sepadu 7 on November 24. Residents of Block C were ordered to vacate
01:23their homes to allow repair works on the wall and slope. According to a notice from DBKL's
01:29Engineering and Drainage Department, temporary remedial works have since been carried out on the slope
01:34behind Block C and beside houses along Lorong Secata 1. A geotechnical assessment found the
01:41slope to be stable and safe, allowing Block C residents to return on January 1, while occupants
01:47of two nearby landed properties were advised to remain evacuated.
01:51Meanwhile, Sepute People's Representative Council Zone 6 Chairman Alvin T. Aryaratnam said the
01:59stabilization measures were temporary and a permanent solution was still under study. He
02:04added that structural extensions by some houses along the cliff edge had increased pressure
02:09on the slope, heightening the risk of failure. When contacted, Kuala Lumpur Mayor Datuk Fadlun-Makujud
02:16said checks with the police found that no report had been lodged about the break-ins. Alvin
02:21subsequently advised affected residents to lodge police reports.
Comments