00:01The landowner and developer of a condominium and road construction project near the landslide
00:07site in Taman Seri Rambai, Payaterubong, must take responsibility for the incident
00:12and ensure the area's safety, says Penang Chief Minister Chau Konyau.
00:17He said the landslide, which claimed the life of a 73-year-old doctor,
00:22occurred on land owned by the developer, and that the parties involved must address
00:27the legal implications, plan approvals and mitigation works needed to restore site safety.
00:33Following a visit to the scene on Tuesday, Chau said the Penang Island City Council
00:38has issued an immediate stop-work order and given the developer seven days to submit a mitigation plan.
00:45Preliminary findings indicate the landslide occurred at a section
00:49where slope-stabilisation works had yet to be carried out.
00:52Prolonged rainfall was believed to have caused water to seep into the soil,
00:57increasing the load on the unstabilised slope.
01:00However, Chau said the exact cause could only be determined
01:04after the relevant authorities submitted their full reports.
01:08The landslide on Monday morning buried Dr Wong Ka Lin under debris
01:12after the slope behind his house collapsed.
01:15His wife, Chang Mei Nuo, and mother-in-law, Wong Po Lim, also escaped.
01:20Chau said the condominium project was first approved in 1996 but faced several setbacks,
01:28including changes in land ownership, developers and development guidelines,
01:32before its latest approval was granted in 2023.
01:36He said the approval process was subject to the Town and Country Planning Act
01:40and various technical requirements, including environmental impact assessments,
01:45traffic studies and social impact assessments.
01:48Meanwhile, the state government had directed MBPP and the Seberang Parai City Council
01:54to intensify monitoring of ongoing developments,
01:58particularly hillside projects, during the rainy season.
02:02Chau said construction activities could be temporarily suspended where necessary
02:06to prioritise safety monitoring and the implementation of mitigation measures.
02:22to check out www.stomooncaut.com.au.
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