MBPP Mayor Datuk A. Rajendran stated that the halted projects and ongoing slope stabilisation works had been active for more than a year. He confirmed that occupants of six houses identified as potentially unsafe were ordered to relocate temporarily. “So far, we have recommended that the occupants of six houses identified as potentially unsafe relocate temporarily to prevent any untoward incidents,” Rajendran told reporters at the scene.
The landslide struck at approximately 8:36 am, trapping Wong Kar Lin, a 73-year-old doctor, inside his house. Rescuers recovered his body at approximately 11:20 am. His wife, Chang Mei Nuo, 68, and his mother-in-law, Wong Poh Lim, in her 80s, escaped shortly after the incident. The event has been classified as an accident rather than a disaster by local authorities.
State Infrastructure, Transport and Digital Committee chairman Zairil Khir Johari acknowledged that while slope stabilisation works were underway, specific sections remained incomplete at the time of the collapse. “Unfortunately, the section that had yet to be completed was the one affected by the landslide,” Khir Johari said. He noted that further investigations are ongoing before detailed causal information can be released.
Technical inspections by Northeast District Officer Isma Suhaimi Shariff revealed that ground movement persisted at the site even in the absence of rainfall. Preliminary findings suggest that a leaking water pipe on the slope and clogged drains contributed to water accumulation, which flowed into the affected house and exacerbated ground movement. Authorities also flagged safety risks posed by a crane and large concrete blocks on the site, which could fall if further movement occurs.
As immediate mitigation measures, officials are covering the exposed slope with plastic sheeting to reduce water infiltration during heavy rains. Approximately 15 people from five families were ordered to evacuate six houses immediately. The Paya Terubong Village Community Management Council (MPKK) hall has been activated as a temporary evacuation centre. The evacuation order is expected to remain in force for five days while MBPP, the Department of Minerals and Geoscience, and the Public Works Department (JKR) conduct technical assessments. Alternative accommodation may be provided if the structures are deemed unsafe for continued occupation.
