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Inject awareness’ of how Covid-19 vaccine works

December 24, 2020 — rightways

Experts: Govt should launch awareness campaign to be transparent on safety

To allay concerns brought about by anti-vaxxers, health experts suggest that the government come up with a campaign to educate Malaysians on the safety of Covid-19 vaccines. The National Council on Islamic Affairs has given the go ahead for inoculation.

Health experts are urging the government to come up with a vaccination awareness campaign now to alleviate public fears and concerns over the Covid-19 vaccine with the arrival of the first batch by February.

Universiti Malaya expert virologist Prof Dr Sazaly Abu Bakar said through a campaign, the government should explain how the vaccine actually works.

“What we do not want is the ripple effect after this in which not only the Covid-19 vaccine is affected but also vaccines for other infectious diseases which we have been using for eons.

“Anti-vaxxers are trying to sow distrust on vaccines. It is not just about the Covid-19 vaccine but their aim will be affecting all the other childhood disease vaccinations which is not good,” he said when contacted yesterday.

He explained that a vaccine can only enter the country after the National Pharmaceutical Regulatory Agency ( NPRA) approves it although the government has made allocations to purchase the vaccine.

“The vaccine cannot be brought in and distributed to the people until the NPRA has verified that it is safe to use.

“The rakyat should not be concerned about all these other issues that are non-scientific, non-science-based and non-data-based. What the rakyat should know is that there are different platforms for different vaccines.

“This is good because that means the government is giving us the option of choosing which vaccine we want to take eventually as there are people who are allergic to certain components of a vaccine. Maybe when one vaccine is not suitable, another one is suitable,” he said.

So far, the Health Ministry had implemented a nationwide survey to gauge the interest of Malaysians in getting the Covid-19 vaccine.

It was also announced that Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin would be among the first to take the vaccination.

Universiti Putra Malaysia medical epidemiologist Assoc Prof Dr Malina Osman said proper policy and regulation is needed to handle vaccine skeptics and anti-vaxxers.

“Once we have bold scientific evidence on the effectiveness and safety of the vaccine, the gazettement under the law should be carried out to disallow those who have no authority to talk against the vaccine, and there should also be provision on an appropriate punishment for those who talk ‘nonsense’ about the vaccine,” she said.

“In the Muslim community, the issue on whether the vaccine is halal or not have been raised by those who reject the vaccine. This group provides isolated evidence against the decree by recognised religious scholars towards acceptance of the treatment from the Islamic point of view,” she said.

Prof Dr Moy Foong Ming, from Universiti Malaya Faculty of Medicine’s Department of Social and Preventive Medicine, concurred that a vaccination campaign should be set up while also being transparent on the safety, side effects and efficacy of the vaccine.

“The government should be transparent on the safety, side effects and efficacy of the vaccine. The total uptake and among subgroups of vaccination should also be presented to the public.

“The media should publish equally on information of the efficacy and safety as well as the side effects of the vaccine.

“Clear explanation of why the side effects happen, who are the high-risk groups and what are the chances of a side effect that will happen should be presented to alleviate people’s fears,” she said, adding that relevant government agencies should address religious concerns.

Dr Moy added that highlighting the fact that “all vaccines and medicines have some side effects, including Covid-19 vaccine” should be emphasised to the public.

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Posted in Main. Tags: ‘ Inject awareness’ how Covid-19 vaccine works, Covid-19 pandemic, engineering, Health, Health educational, Malaysia. Leave a Comment »

Air-conds not so cool after all

December 10, 2020 — rightways

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It was partly cloudy but the mercury still registered a high 33ºC.

That was the temperature recorded here yesterday.

So for most urbanites, refuge from the heat comes from air-conditioned places. And barely anyone drives a car without air-condition these days.

Air-conditioners have become such a huge part in people’s lives that there is little discussion about the downside of extended usage.

But it has now been suggested that prolonged usage could cause problems – from drowsiness to affecting a person’s concentration due to high carbon dioxide (CO2) levels.

“I have measured CO2 levels in my car while driving from USJ (Subang Jaya) to Mid Valley. The CO2 levels exceeded 2,500 parts per million (ppm) for a 35-minute drive.

“So, I would expect the CO2 levels in bedrooms to be high in the morning, if all windows are closed, ” the Malaysian chapter of the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers (Ashrae) former president Leong Siew Meng (pic) said.

Under the Industry Code of Practice on Indoor Air Quality 2010 issued by the Department of Occupational Safety and Health, the ceiling limit for CO2 was at 1,000ppm for healthy indoor air quality (IAQ).

Poor IAQ levels have been linked to short-term and long-term problems ranging from allergic reactions, respiratory problems and eye irritation to sinusitis and bronchitis.

A research paper published by the Nature Sustainability journal, titled “Direct Human Health Risks of Increased Atmospheric Carbon Dioxide”, also suggested that even with a level as low as 1,000 ppm, CO2 levels have the potential to pose health problems despite exposure to it lasting only a few hours.

The journal noted that the health risks from high CO2 levels include inflammation, reduced higher-level cognitive abilities, bone demineralisation, kidney calcification and oxidative stress.

“High CO2 levels in cars also have the potential to cause drowsiness, ” Leong said.

He noted that some households would install fixed windows, which meant that they could not be opened.

With fixed windows, Leong said CO2 levels would build up in the enclosed space as many households used split-unit air-conditioners that do not bring outdoor air in.

“Those who are asthmatic and sleep with air-conditioning turned on overnight will worsen their condition, ” he said.

As a solution to sleeping in an air-conditioned room, Leong suggested that one should leave a small gap of between one to two centimetres in a window for infiltration of outdoor air.

For occupants who rely on an intake of outdoor air, he suggested installing a small exhaust fan in the room.

“As a solution for long-distance driving, latch open the vehicle louvre occasionally to bring in outdoor air to overcome the build-up of carbon dioxide concentrations (when outdoor air is not polluted by heavy vehicles in front or open burning in the surroundings)”, he said.

Ashrae president Ng Wen Bin said worsening asthma problems, allergies as well as sick building syndrome were health issues that could result from contaminated air conditioning units.

“This sick building syndrome is associated with symptoms such as nasal congestion, difficulty breathing, headache, fatigue, and skin irritation.

“There may be some microorganisms growing in the air conditioning system as the process of cooling warm air generates a lot of moisture and condensation, which must be discharged.

“So, if your air conditioner does a bad job of this, whether due to poor maintenance, damage or careless design, it can become a breeding ground for bacteria and fungi, ” he said.

Ng said to better protect one’s health, the best defence is a well-maintained and routinely serviced air conditioning unit.

The Nature Sustainability journal noted that environmental exposure to CO2 should also be viewed from the perspective of vulnerable groups – infants, the elderly and weak, and high-exposure groups such as populations residing in urban CO2 domes and in tropical climates.

A September 2019 report published by Ashrae titled “Do Indoor CO2 Levels Directly Affect Perceived Air Quality, Health, or Work Performance?” found that several studies had provided “strong evidence” of reductions in cognitive performance due to increased levels of CO2.

However, the study acknowledged that the results were not consistent with other studies which found that there were “no effects” in the reduction in cognitive performance, adding that none could be found either on acute health symptoms and perceived air quality of CO2 below 5,000ppm.

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Leave a small gap in the window, say experts

Cool comfort: A mother switching on the air-conditioner in her children’s bedroom.

You’ve heard it from time immemorial. But it’s worth repeating even in 2020. “Get some fresh air!”

Experts have cautioned about health concerns linked to poor indoor air quality (IAQ).

Malaysia Green Building Council chief executive officer Tang Chee Khoay said fresh outdoor air was needed as it had the potential to impact a person’s performance whether at work or in school.

Those who slept with air-conditioning turned on throughout the night might wake up feeling “not sharp” and those who worked in a room with closed windows might feel easily tired due to increased carbon dioxide (CO2) levels, he said.

Hence, Tang said it was important to allow a small gap of fresh air to enter a room.

“Fresh air is dependent on leakages when you open the door, windows or some cracks between the doors to replace the oxygen which has been consumed.

“People often claim that putting indoor plants in the house replenishes oxygen, but you actually need a lot of it. One or two pots will not help, ” he said.

As most commercial buildings are fitted with a centralised air-conditioning system, Tang said those systems are designed to allow fresh air in from the outside.

But he lamented that most people chose to close the outdoor air-conditioning vent to save cost.

“There must be a balance in allowing outdoor air in, ” he said.

Asean-Air Conditioning and Refrigeration Association (Asean–ACRA) president Datuk Seri Dr Ricky Yaw concurred that there must be a balance in the usage of air-conditioners.

He believes that air leaks through doors, ceilings and windows were sufficient for normal households while those with fixed windows might notice “stuffiness” in their house due to the high CO2 levels from isolated air circulation.

“High CO2 levels will make you feel very sleepy and stuffy. Even in vehicles, it is better to open the (outdoor air-conditioner) vent as a person will feel better, ” said Yaw, who is also the Malaysian Air Conditioning and Refrigeration Association immediate past president.

William Rodney Yeo, the managing director for Airestec, a life and environmental sciences eco-friendly company that addresses indoor air problems, urged people to service their air-conditioners at least once a year to ensure good IAQ levels.

“Air conditioning systems deteriorate (when coils are not cleaned) which leads to greater energy consumption because airflow is reduced which then sees humidity levels go up, ” Yeo said.

Yeo noted that the conventional methods of cleaning air-conditioners with acid and alkalis should change too, adding that it was bad for the environment.

He suggested using eco-friendly methods such as bio-enzymes.

The Alliance for Safe Community chairman Tan Sri Lee Lam Thye said a typical level found in spaces with good air should be from below 350 to 1,000 ppm.

Anything more than 1,000 to 2,000 ppm, was associated with drowsiness and poor air.

And levels from 2,000 to 5,000 ppm were generally associated with headaches, sleepiness, stagnant, stale, and stuffy air, he said.

Many Malaysians unfazed by air-cond concerns

There are health hazards in the prolonged use of air-conditioning but for Malaysians who find the tropical heat simply unbearable, the risk is shrugged off.

Donald Yong, 57, is one, and in fact, he begs to differ.

“I have been using (air-conditioner) for the last three decades and I am still around. I am not dead yet, ” said the retiree.

“I believe air-conditioners are not harmful as it prevents outdoor pollution from entering the house. If there are concerns about skin dryness, then a pail of water should be placed in the room, ” he said.

He is not concerned about the health effects and spends an average 12 hours in the air-conditioned comfort of his home.

“The air-conditioner improves the air quality indoors and we get to enjoy a cosy environment, ” he said.

Freelance consultant Grace Low, 60, acknowledged the potential health problems but she was of the view that the pros outweigh the cons.

“I use the air-conditioner for at least three to four hours a day when I’m not working and an additional eight hours if I am, ” she said.

Low said that she would only use the air-conditioner to cool down the room before bedtime.

And when driving, she said she would not open the outdoor air-conditioning vent due to pollution in the air.

For Tajuddin Hussin, 30, who rents an apartment in Kuala Lumpur, he has no air-conditioner at home as it was not provided.

“When I moved in about 10 years ago, the place did not come fitted with an air-conditioner so I became used to it. After so many years living with just a fan in my room, I did not see a need to get an air-conditioner, ” the self-employed man said.

Engineer S. Ruth, 31, said she was aware of the potential problems arising from the prolonged use of air-conditioners.

“I am under an air-conditioner for about nine hours when I’m at work or more when I have to work overtime. So, when I get home, I would only turn it on for an hour to cool down the room, ” she said.

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Posted in Main. Tags: air-con, Air-Conditioning Engineers (Ashrae), Air-conds not so cool, Carbon Dioxide, CO2, Educational, engineering, Health, knowledge. Leave a Comment »

MBPP, contractor, engineers and DOSH named as responsible in fatal Penang landslide

February 14, 2019 — rightways

https://youtu.be/R07RRPADcK0 https://content.jwplatform.com/players/GNtdMAKX-dBiC3tzP.html

https://www.thestar.com.my/news/nation/2019/02/14/landslide-report-blames-contractor-mbpp-and-dosh/?jwsource=cl

Deputy Chief Minister I Datuk Ahmad Zakiyuddin Abdul Rahman, who is the committee chairman, said the MBPP as the owner of the project had failed in its overall responsibility to supervise the project despite having appointed Jurutera Perunding GEA as representative of the superintendent officer. NSTP/MIKAIL ONG

MBPP among four named as responsible in fatal Penang landslide

GEORGE TOWN: Four parties have been identified as being responsible for the fatal landslide at the construction site of the paired road at Jalan Bukit Kukus last October incident, including the Penang Island City Council (MBPP).

A special investigation committee set up by the Penang government following the fatal landslide at the construction site also named the other three parties, namely the contractor Yuta Maju Sdn Bhd, the consultant, Jurutera Perunding GEA (M) Sdn Bhd and the independent checking engineer G&P Professional Sdn Bhd.

“By appointing Jurutera Perunding GEA, it does not mean that the council is free from responsibilities to ensure the success of the project from all aspects.

“As such, any actions to be taken against the council will depend on the outcome of investigations by the police, the Department of Occupational Safety and Heath (DOSH) and the Construction Industry Development Board (CIDB) into the incident,” he said when making public findings of the investigation committee.

Ahmad Zakiyuddin said as for Yuta Maju, it had failed to ensure satisfactory mitigation works at the project site, and that the temporary slope constructed at the project site was not endorsed or designed by accredited consultants, which was a violation of the Board of Engineers Malaysia (BEM) guidelines.

“It also failed to ensure site safety by removing the empty containers at the project site, where nine bodies were recovered,” he added.

As for Jurutera Perunding GEA, Ahmad Zakiyuddin said the party had failed to ensure that the contractor abide by the guidelines set out by the BEM, while G&P Professional had failed to abide by the job scope given by the council.

“Following our findings, we have recommended that the contractor, consultant and independent checking engineer be blacklisted from any tender consideration for projects in the future.

“That said, they will still have to continue their works for the paired road project, until the project completion, slated for May next year,” he added.

The landslide at the Bukit Kukus paired roads project site on Oct 19 last year killed nine site workers and left four others injured.

The search and rescue (SAR) operation was called off after five days. The project’s stop-work orders, separately issued by DOSH, CIDB and the council, were lifted up recently.

Ahmad Zakiyuddin said the special investigation committee also identified 10 main factors which had contributed the to fatal landslide, particularly not fully adopting best practices in construction work.

Other factors included:

* heavy rain on the morning of the incident at 55mm

* the contractor was unable to enter the project site to carry out mitigation works as stop-work order was issued by DOSH two days prior to the incident following a worksite accident

* unsafe construction processes

* failure to recognise the significance of an earlier incident (falling beams at another part of the project site two days prior to the landslide);

* lack of supervision

* failure to identify risk due to the change of process

* lack of comprehensive inspection and testing

* failure in risk communication

* poor management of sub-contractors.

Asked on why the services of the contractor, consultant and independent checking engineer were not immediately terminated following the incident, Ahmad Zakiyuddin said from what he understood, the stop-work orders issued on the three were only for one part of the project and not the entire project.

“Also, there was no record of safety issues prior to the landslide,” he said.

He called on efforts to protect the remaining part of the project as a resu

lt of a negative perception.

“Any delay will put the project at greater risks.”

To another question if the special investigation committee’s findings would be made public, he there had been no plans to do so as the report served as a guideline for the state. – By Audrey Dermawan, NST >

‘MBPP hired resident engineer for Bukit Kukus project’

GEORGE TOWN: The Penang Island City Council (MBPP) appointed a resident engineer and an independent checking engineer even before the start of the Bukit Kukus paired road project, says Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow.

“If you see the action taken by MBPP, they understand their technical insufficiency in terms of a geotechnical engineer. That’s why in the contract, they required the main contractor to appoint a resident engineer, who was paid by MBPP to monitor the project on MBPP’s behalf.

“The independent checking engineers were also paid by MBPP. So, it was a measure taken by MBPP even before the start of the project, knowing that this is a big project.

“They did not have the capacity to monitor the project as they have only two or three engineers who have to be looking at other matters besides this project.

“So, they took action to appoint a resident engineer as well as independent checking enginners to act on behalf of MBPP,” he told reporters at the Penang Development Corporation Chinese New Year celebration at the PDC office in Bayan Lepas yesterday.

Chow also said the state would wait for the Department of Occupational Safety and Health (DOSH) report first.

“We will leave it to DOSH’s findings. Let DOSH come out with the report and we will take the necessary action after that,” he said.

Asked if MBPP had to bear necessary compensation for families of the victims of the landslide last October, Chow said MBPP had not received any claim so far.

Chow was asked to respond to the Consumers Association of Penang’s (CAP) call for stern action to be taken against the wrongdoers responsible for the tragedy.

CAP president S.M. Mohamed Idris in a statement yesterday said: “While we welcome the investigation committee’s findings as to who is responsible for the tragedy, we are concerned that apart from recommending the blacklisting of the contractor, consultant and independent checking engineer from any tender consideration for future projects, it appears that no further stern action has been recommended.

“In particular, we want to know what action will be taken against MBPP,” he said.

Deputy Chief Minister I Datuk Ahmad Zakiyuddin Abdul Rahman, who headed the investigation panel, was reported yesterday as saying that MBPP and other parties involved in the construction of the Jalan Bukit Kukus paired road project had not adhered to construction and engineering best practices.

Meanwhile, MBPP acknowledged responsibility for the Bukit Kukus landslide tragedy as it is the council’s project.

MBPP mayor Datuk Yew Tung Seang said the council was not pushing away any responsibility or negative comments on the council and project, and that it would be taken seriously. – By Cavina Lim and Intan Amalina Mohd Ali, The Star

Penang landslide report blames contractor, MBPP and DOSH

The special investigative panel report on the Bukit Kukus landslide had not been made public, but excerpts of the findings were made available by the state.

However, it has raised more questions than answers as the state blamed the contractor, Penang Island City Council (MBPP) and the Department of Occupational Safety and Health (DOSH).

In an immediate response, DOSH Penang director Jaafar Leman denied the department was to be blamed for the landslide.

“We were not even invited to be part of the investigative panel to give our views. How could we be blamed?” he asked.

According to the statement by Deputy Chief Minister 1 Datuk Ahmad Zakiyuddin Abdul Rahman who headed the investigative panel, the stop-work order on Oct 17 prevented contractors from entering the site to do maintenance works.

As a result, the temporary toe drain overflowed and water was retained on the reclaimed land contributing to the collapse of the slopes.

“How could a stop order which was issued on Oct 17 contribute to the landslide which occurred on Oct 19?” asked Jaafar.

He said the slopes would have been risky from the beginning as the contractor did not do any mitigation works to strengthen them and it does not make sense to blame DOSH.

The stop-work order was issued on Oct 17 after 14 beams fell in a ravine.

Earlier, during a press conference, Ahmad Zakiyuddin said MBPP and other parties involved in the construction of the Jalan Bukit Kukus paired roads project, had not adhered to construction and engineering best practices.

“The landslide was caused by many factors, which included a temporary construction of a platform to place machinery which was not constructed properly. The temporary platform was created to allow heavy vehicles lift beams for the paired road project.

“MBPP, as owners of the project, had failed to ensure all the hired parties carried out their job.

“MBPP had failed to hire a professional engineer for temporary works to design and supervise the site,” he said yesterday.

Ahmad Zakiyuddin said another factor was the downpour in the morning of the day of the landslide.- The Star

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Khoo Salma

Kudos to Deputy Chief Minister I Datuk Ahmad Zakiyuddin for holding the four parties accountable for the Bukit Kukus landslide tragedy. The inquiry still begs a lot of questions, e.g. why was the contract given to Yuta Maju from Terengganu? Could the accident have been prevented if a proper EIA was done? It is not just a “bureaucratic hurdle” but supposed to identify risks and advise mitigation. If the authorities wish to go on with the project, it is not too late to commissi…
See more

“This is no simple incident as nine deaths resulted from it. Very stern action must be taken against the MBPP, and that includes strong disciplinary action against the mayor and officers responsible.

“Otherwise, it will be business-as-usual in the MBPP as the officers will be allowed to go scot-free with impunity.

Act against Penang city council, officers over Bukit Kukus landslide, says CAP

Bukit Kukus landslide: MBPP acknowledges responsibility, entrusted third party to carry out project

Tragedy happened due to lack of worksite safety, says CM

Metro News14 Jan 2019

Bukit Kukus road project illegal, says consumer group | Free Malaysia ..

Penang blacklists contractor, engineers in Bukit Kukus road project …

Groups demand Penang govt release Bukit Kukus landslide probe …

Bukit Kukus project to proceed with extra caution – Nation

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An aerial view of flooded George Town city in the northern Malaysian state of Penang on November 5, after a severe storm led to two deaths and some 2,000 people evacuated. Photo: AP

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Fake Awards Scam for Penang Island City Council, Seberang Perai Municipal Council !

Dubious honours: (Above) Former Penang Island City Council mayor Patahiyah Ismail with the trophy and certificate for Best Municipal Manager awards in 2013 while her Seberang Prai counterpart Maimunah (pictured here with the Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng and his aide Wong Hon Wai) received the same latter award in 2014

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Soil erosion mitigation plans ignored, waters from stream identified as main cause !

October 22, 2018 — rightways

A drone picture of the collapsed beams along Jalan Tun Sardon leading to Balik Pulau on the left while Jalan Paya
Terubong on the right leads to Relau.— CHAN BOON KAI/The Star

(Above) A closer view of the collapsed beams. (Right) The affected section of the project overlooking Jalan Paya Terubong heading to Relau in the background.

https://content.jwplatform.com/players/Arqv95pp-dBiC3tzP.html

Tragic Situation: (Top) A landslide at the construction site in Jalan Bukit Kukus, Paya Terubong, caused four containers to be covered with mud – Bernama, Closed call:(Right below) Survivors of the landslide surveying the scene

Checks show projects did not follow SOP

GEORGE TOWN: As the search and rescue operation for seven buried foreign workers at a construction site in Paya Terubong is going on, shocking information has surfaced that not a single construction site in Penang is following the soil erosion mitigation plan stipulated in their project approvals.

The Star has learnt that the state government has launched Ops Lumpur shortly after the general election, requiring enforcement officers from the local councils to inspect and report on every construction site in all five districts in the state.

A consultant civil engineer familiar with Ops Lumpur claimed that every single construction project did not observe the soil erosion mitigation plan.

He said Ops Lumpur was overseen directly by state exco members and enforcement officers were required to visit the sites.

“Their reports shocked the state exco members. Every contractor failed to do soil erosion measures in every site.

“Now you know why streams near construction site are always yellow when it rains,” he said.

The consultant engineer said the state went after developers who claimed they were not aware and blamed the contractors.

“Civil engineers are often disgusted when they do site visits because it is common for us to see that the soil erosion mitigation plans are never followed,” he said.

The consultant said it was easy to inspect construction sites and check on the progress and questioned whether state government agencies regularly conducted scheduled and surprise visits.

“How often do they conduct spot checks? How strictly do they conduct enforcement rounds on construction sites? If we keep contractors on their toes all the time, we might not have so many landslides,” he said, referring to the latest landslide in Bukit Kukus, the site of a hillside highway from Paya Terubong to Bukit Jambul is being built.

A teh tarik-coloured stream was observed flowing between Jalan Paya Terubong and the barred entrance to the highway construction site yesterday.

It has been raining almost every day in Penang this week.

In yesterday’s incident, rescue team found one survivor and two dead bodies. At press time, seven are still missing.

The Fire and Rescue Department received a distress call about the landslide at 1.56pm.

An Indonesian worker who only wished to be known as Endo, 36, said three of his relatives from Sulawesi were trapped in the landslide and he was working in another nearby construction site.

“It rained all night (Thursday). The rain stopped at 9am (yesterday) and resumed at 1pm. At my site, all of us stayed in our quarters and didn’t work because of the rain.

“I got a call from others that my relatives are missing. So, now I’ll just wait,” he said.

Last Thursday, 14 concrete beams measuring 25m long each, crashed down from an elevated section of the highway.

No injuries were reported and a stop-work order was issued pending investigations of the collapse.

Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow, who visited the site with several state exco members, said he reminded rescue workers to be wary while searching for the missing victims because the rain could have rendered the slopes unstable.

“All work has stopped here and the contractor was about to send in its report on the collapse of the concrete beams on Oct 11,” he said, adding that the place where the beams collapsed was far from the landslide. – The Star by arnold loh and lo tern chern

Water from stream identified as main cause of landslide

GEORGE TOWN: Water flow from a stream on the hilly area in Jalan Bukit Kukus, Paya Terubong, near here has been identified as among the cause of the landslide.

Azhari Ahmad, who is Mineral and Geoscience Department (JMG) director for Perlis, Kedah and Penang, said the finding was made based on its inspection and monitoring since Saturday.

“The JMG team identified several factors that caused the landslide, resulting in all containers on the hill slope to slide down with the earth.

“The main factor that caused the landslide is the water flow from a stream near the slope and heavy rain since Friday morning caused the water to overflow,” he told reporters yesterday.

Azhari said the department had taken immediate measure by diverting the flow of water from the stream elsewhere to avoid worsening the situation, especially during the search and rescue (SAR) operation.

He said further inspection conducted at 7.30am yesterday found the water flow on the slope was lesser but the department would continue to monitor the situation with equipment from the Special Malaysia Disaster Assistance and Rescue Team to ensure the safety of SAR personnel.

He said based on observation and inspection at the scene, the department found the location of the landslide to be at the concave slope which easily collected water.

“But we do not rule out the possibility of a follow-up landslide in the area due to the soil structure and there is still water flowing that can cause landslide.

“We have also advised the rescue team to stop operation immediately if it rains as it could cause another landslide,” he said.

Azhari said the department was assisting the rescue team in the SAR operation and did not rule out the possibility of it conducting further investigation to determine the actual cause of the landslide.

“We hope for fine weather and no rain so that the SAR operation can be continued until all the victims are found,” he said.

The landslide occurred at about 1.30pm last Friday.

The tragedy occurred following heavy rain in the state from Thursday afternoon until noon the following day, causing the landslide at the container and kongsi area at the Bukit Kukus paired road construction site.

Source: Bernama, Reports by LO TERN CHERN, N.TRISHA and R.SEKARAN

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Precarious situation: The collapsed beams along Jalan Tun Sardon which fell and broke after being knocked down. https://www.thestar.c

PAC blamed Penang Island City Council (MBPP) for failing to enforce laws on hillside development

November 4, 2017 — rightways

Becoming bald: A view of the clearing work seen at Bukit Relau which was visible from the Penang Bridge in November last year.

GEORGE TOWN: The Penang Public Accounts Committee (PAC) had faulted the Penang Island City Council (MBPP) for failing to monitor and enforce laws on hillside development in the state.

In its report on hill land development tabled on May 19, PAC said the lax monitoring not only resulted in unchecked hill clearing, but landowners were able to build houses, chalets, hotels and restaurants on Penang’s hill range.

“This situation happened because of MBPP’s failure to monitor and patrol hill land after notices were issued to landowners.

“This led to risks of soil erosion, landslides, mudslides, river sedimentation and disruptions to the surroundings,” it stated.

PAC’s report gained public attention after Penanti assemblyman Dr Norlela Ariffin brought it up in a dialogue session held by Penang NGOs and residents associations on flood and landslides on Sunday.

She told 200-odd members of the civil society that the report was tabled in the state assembly but never presented.

PAC stated that according to the state Audit Department, out of 31 illegal hill land clearing cases in 2015, four were in the Teluk Bahang water catchment area.

The committee, chaired by Bagan Dalam assemblyman A. Tanasekharan, visited nine of the cases on March 1.

It highlighted the Bukit Relau hill clearing case 410m above sea level and visible from Penang Bridge.

“Media reports and public comments should have been enough for MBPP and other authorities to take immediate action.

“Mitigation works on Bukit Relau have taken so long to be completed. The local authorities neither monitor the work frequently nor supply regular updates,” it added.

On illegal clearing that took place on Penang Hill, PAC expressed frustration that the actual dates and specific locations of the earthworks could not be determined because of the unsatisfactory records and monitoring.

“On Penang Hill, there was confusion on the existing agricultural plot and the new clearings.

“There are no definitions of allowable hill land agricultural works that involves digging,” it added.

PAC also objected to an earlier suggestion by the state Local Government Committee to exclude hill land earthworks related to agricultural activities from needing work permits.

Source: The Star by Arnold Loh

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Floods hit Bujkit Jambul & Hong Seng Estate in Penang

November 1, 2017 — rightways

Wet, wet woes: (Above) Bukit Jambul is flooded once again after an evening downpour.

Firemen installing a pump to draw floodwaters from one of the affected houses on a slope in Hong Seng Estate, Mount Erskine.

GEORGE TOWN: A blocked underground drainage saw six houses located on a slope in Hong Seng Estate, Mount Erskine, flooded during an evening downpour.

Firemen and Civil Defence Force personnel had to install a water pump to draw out the rainwater which flooded some of the units to waist-level.

Rojak seller Tan Swee Hoe, 56, said she was shocked to see her kitchen and living room submerged in water at 7pm yesterday.

“I rushed home after receiving a call from a neighbour, saying my house is flooded.

“But I did not expect such a sight. I did not manage to move my furniture and electrical appliances to the upper floor, thus incurring several thousand ringgit in losses.

“I have been staying here for 17 years and this is the first time my house is flooded,” she said at her house.

Pulau Tikus assemblyman Yap Soo Huey said 17 people from five houses were affected while the sixth house was unoccupied.

She said the Fire and Rescue Department and the Civil Defence Force personnel moved in to install a 400m pipe to pump the water out from the house manually.

“The water is channelled to a nearby river and it may take a few hours if the weather is good,” she said, adding that the district office will evaluate the losses.

Late last month, seven houses in the estate were affected by soil erosion. A consultant engineer Datuk Lim Kok Khong had said the soil erosion was due to water seeping under the ground.

Penang Gerakan secretary H’ng Chee Wey urged the state government, with the aid of the experts, to look into the cause of the problems.

“The state government needs to ensure that the existing infrastructure, including the drainage system, can cope with the demand before it approve new development projects.

“We hope the local authorities can be proactive in the matter,” he added.

Rising waters also flooded the Bukit Jambul area, reducing traffic to a crawl.

Bayan Baru MP Sim Tze Tzin said a RM400,000 flood mitigation project started last month.

“The project will create a shortcut for the floodwater to be discharged directly to Sungai Nibong river instead of passing through Jalan Tun Dr Awang,” he said, adding that the project was expected to be completed at the end of next month.

Source: The Star by chong Kah Yuan

We demand immediate enforcement & Actions to complete the remedial works:

1. The parties responsible must quickly without further delays, without condition to settle the claims and start the remedial works to the damaged houses, as both JPS has declared underground pipe culverts invalid and MBPP has issued stop work orders directed the developers, Worldwide Venture Sdn Bhd, a subsidiary of IJM Land to rectify the damages within 1 and 2 weeks time since 2015!

2. Enforce IJM’s & MBPP’ Letters/Stop-work Orders (attached in above), and divert waters from the two invalid underground pipe culverts deemed illegal at the IJM Trehaus site and nearby ponds which must be closed and grouted as a long term solution to the problems.

3. Enforce a fresh cease and desist to Stop Work of IJM Trehaus construction project until the structural damages to house at 20 Lintang Bukit Jambul 1, BJ Cove have been resolved and settled the claim for damages and distress caused by the fear and danger of living in the house, without further delays and their suffering more than four years since 2014. Repairs and remedial works must start promptly as more damages and suffering will fellow!

4. Beef up the enforcement and accountability not just in government agencies but also in professional bodies, like theBoard Of Engineers Malaysia (BEM), the Institute of Engineers Malaysia (IEM), etc to uphold the professional ethics, integrity and standards, to ensure public safety of the buildings and people life.

5. The pond must be made a Dried pond for waters to flow out smoothly, because there was originally two natural rivers/streams in the area where waters will still be running/seeping through naturally under the ground.

6. Now, drain waters from IJM site are being channeled back their underground pipe culvert flowing to BJ Cove houses at Lintang Bukit Jambul 1 where a manhole next to house no. 20 constructed by IJM is not closed despite it has been declared invalid and illegal by JPS! This is a great concern to residents at BJ Cove houses. We want JPS and MPPP to close & grout the manhole promptly.

7. Damaged house owners firmly reserve all their rights to take all necessary legal steps against those responsible exclusion their liabilities.

Findings from Penang Forum

Dr Kam, a scientist, focused on expansion of impermeable surface area (caused by ill planned development and replacing natural ground cover such as hills, fields and trees that act as a water absorbing sponge) and soil erosion and landslides (caused by cutting and development in hill areas) as two factors that need special attention.

She quoted Datuk Kam U Tee, the Penang Water Authority general manager
(1973~90), as having correctly explained the Penang floods of October 2008, as follows: the floods were caused by conversion of the Paya Terubong and Bayan Baru valleys into “concrete aprons that do not retain water. The water immediately flows into streams causing flash floods even with moderate rainfall. Because of hillcutting activities, the flowing water causes erosion of the slopes which carries mud and silt into the river beds”. ( The Star, Oct 24, 2008).

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Penang bald Hillslopes a “time bomb”

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Rage against hill road plan: We don’t want that road, says Penang residents

September 4, 2017 — rightways

Long and winding road: This satellite picture from Google Earth Pro shows five planned interchanges of the Teluk Bahang-Tanjung Bungah paired road. The road starts at (1) Lembah Permai corner near Sri Vazhikattum Muniswarar shrine. The three interchanges in the middle are (2) at Jalan Sungai Emas, (3) at Persiaran Sungai Permai and (4) near Chin Farm Waterfall. The road ends (5) about 200m from the Teluk Bahang roundabout near the Toy Museum.

GEORGE TOWN: Alarm bells rang among Tanjung Bungah residents after they realised the proposed new road from Teluk Bahang to their neighbourhood entails de- forestation and construction on slopes with gradients steeper than 25 degrees.

They want the project scrapped and demand that the state government think of alternatives.

Through the Tanjung Bungah Residents Association (TBRA), 400 of them signed a petition against the project known as North Coastal Paired Road (NCPR).

TBRA chairman Meenakshi Raman said the environmental impact assessment (EIA) report showed that 3.34ha of gazetted forest reserves would be cleared for the road.

“Tracts of the Teluk Bahang Forest Reserve and Bukit Kerajaan Forest Reserve will be deforested. How can this be allowed?

“These reserves are gazetted as water catchment areas too,” she said in a press conference at the Tanjung Bungah market yesterday.

She said the EIA report revealed that 46% of the proposed road would be on slopes with gradients higher than 25 degrees.

“The EIA is clear that slope instability risks will be high. Mitigation measures are suggested but haven’t we learned enough about Penang’s development? Landslides occur often here,” she said.

The residents urged the Depart-ment of Environment (DoE) in writing not to approve the EIA. A copy of the letter was forwarded to Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng on Aug 21.

The NCPR is a 10.53km four-lane road from near SK Teluk Bahang until the L-shaped bend of Lembah Permai at Sri Vazhikattum Munis-warar shrine.

This is part of the Penang Transport Master Plan (PTMP) and is under the purview of Consortium Zenith Construction.

It is one of three new roads planned as the traffic dispersal system of the Penang Undersea Tunnel project.

Residents are also confounded by the cost.

Meenakshi said that in 2011, the estimated construction and land acquisition cost of the NCPR was expected at RM1bil.

She said the EIA stated that at an average speed of 70kph, motorists would save 14 minutes of travel time compared with the current coastal road.

“Spending such a huge amount to save 14 minutes is a colossal waste of public resources,” she added.

She felt that the EIA should have included a cost-to-benefit analysis.

“For RM1bil, can’t we think of other alternatives to the traffic problem?”

In response, state exco member Lim Hock Seng clarified that the clearing of the forest reserves was studied in the EIA as a requirement but the state was planning to avoid forest clearing.

“The first phase of NCPR is from Batu Ferringhi to Tanjung Bungah. That is the most urgent.

“The Teluk Bahang stretch, where the forest reserves are, won’t be built so soon.

“We do plan to continue examining alternatives to avoid deforestation.”

Lim said the main road in Batu Ferringhi could not “take it anymore during the holiday season” and the NCPR was vital to relieve traffic jams in the area.

Also, he said SRS Consortium, the state’s PTMP project delivery partner, was planning a viaduct from Lembah Permai to Seri Tanjung Pinang.

“So we are not dumping traffic or leaving a bottleneck at the Vale of Tempe Road with the NCPR.

“Motorists can choose between the winding coastal road or the NCPR depending on where they are going.

“This project will help reduce traffic,” he said.

Meenakshi also expressed shock that the EIA stated that NCPR would have 10 proposed interchanges.

But Lim and also Consortium Zenith chairman Datuk Zarul Ahmad Mohd Zulkifli said there would be only three interchanges in the middle of the road.

“They will be between Teluk Bahang and Tanjung Bungah, in Jalan Sungai Emas, Persiaran Sungai Permai and near Chin Farm Waterfall,” said Zarul Ahmad.

Penang Water Supply Corporation chief executive officer Datuk Jaseni Maidinsa gave an assurance that the NCPR’s route would not affect water catchment because the road would be downhill of Teluk Bahang Dam or any other reservoir.

Source: The Star by Arnold Loh

Call to scrap proposed road

Troubled spot: Aerial view of Jalan Lembah Permai in Tanjung Bungah, where the North Coastal Paired Road from Teluk Bahang will end in the L-shaped bend of the road.

GEORGE TOWN: Tanjung Bungah residents want the proposed new road from Teluk Bahang to their neighbourhood scrapped after realising it entails deforestation and construction on slopes with gradients steeper than 25 degree.

Through the Tanjung Bungah Residents Association (TBRA), 400 of them signed a petition against the North Coastal Paired Road (NCPR).

TBRA chairman Meenakshi Raman said the environmental impact assessment (EIA) showed that 3.34ha of gazetted forest reserve will be cleared for the road.

“Tracts of the Teluk Bahang Forest Reserve and Bukit Kerajaan Forest Reserve will be deforested. How can this be allowed?” Meenakshi said during a press conference at the Tanjung Bungah market yesterday.

She said the EIA revealed that 46% of the proposed road would be on slopes with gradients higher than 25 degrees.

“The EIA is clear that slope instability risks will be high. Mitigation measures are suggested, but haven’t we learnt enough about Penang’s development? The island is sensitive to landslides,” she said.

The residents urged the Department of Environment (DoE) in writing not to approve the EIA. A copy of the letter was also forwarded to Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng on Aug 21.

The NCPR is a 10.53km four-lane road that is part of the Penang Transport Master Plan and is under the purview of Consortium Zenith Construction. It is part of the traffic dispersal system of the Penang Undersea Tunnel project.

The residents are also confounded by the cost. Meenakshi said in 2011, the estimated construction cost and land acquisition cost of the NCPR was RM1bil.

She felt the EIA should have included a cost-to-benefit analysis and “for RM1bil, can’t we think of other alternatives to the traffic problem?”

In response, state exco member Lim Hock Seng clarified that the clearing of the forest reserves was studied in the EIA as a requirement, but the state is planning to avoid it.

“The first phase of NCPR is from Batu Ferringhi to Tanjung Bungah. The Teluk Bahang stretch, where the forest reserves are, won’t happen so soon.

“Although it is studied in the EIA, we do plan to continue examining alternatives and avoid deforestation,” said Lim. – The Star

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The works minister, Datuk Seri Fadillah Yosof says compared to what the JKR recently paid for pre-construction consulting fees for a project in Johor (RM19mil of pre-construction consulting cost represents 2.67% of RM718,570,500 for roads totalling 30km in length), the Penang government’s consultancy fees for the three roads project is exorbitant to the total RM220mil pre-construction fees that was already fully paid by the Penang government, which represented 11.06% of the RM1.99bil construction cost for the three roads totalling 20km in length and has yet to start construction despite a three-and-a-half-year delay.”

PETALING JAYA: The Penang government has been urged to “stop denying the undeniable” over the exorbitant consultancy fees for the three roads project.

Works Minister Fadillah Yusof said the Public Works Department (JKR) recently paid RM19 million in total for pre-construction consulting fees for a paired road highway project in Johor.

He compared this with the exorbitant consultancy fees for the three roads project in Penang.

“The fees comprise all required services and include the fees for all surveys, soil investigation, preliminary environmental impact assessment and all civil, structural, electrical and mechanical designs,” The Star quoted Fadillah as saying.

He said the RM19 million of pre-construction consulting cost represents 2.67% of RM718,570,500 for roads totalling 30km in length.

He added that in accordance with the Board of Engineers Malaysia’s (BEM) guidelines, not all of the fees for the project were paid before construction began as a quarter of the payment was withheld for the tendering and construction stages.

New Air Itam-Gelugor bypass to cut driving by half

“Compare this to the total RM220 million pre-construction fees that was already fully paid by the Penang government, which represented 11.06% of the RM1.99 billion construction cost for the three roads totalling 20km in length and has yet to start construction despite a three-and-a-half-year delay,” Fadillah said.

The three paired roads are meant to be the traffic dispersal system of Penang’s proposed undersea tunnel project.

The cost of the consultation fees for the three paired roads has been a point of contention between the state and federal government, whereby the latter says that the Penang government has significantly overpaid the fees.

The Penang government has maintained that the fees paid is not excessive. – FMT news, The Star

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A drain under construction by JPS to divert waters from the nearby pond


For waters to flow out smoothly, the pond must level up with more soils, 2018


Waters leaked from the burst pipes entered into Bedrooms Multiple Cracks in Bedrooms External drain and fence broken due to the sinking ground caused by the underground pipe culvert developed into Sinkhole (IJM Manhole from Trehaus site) just next to the house

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Two invalid pipe culverts formed sinkholes at BJ Cove houses

The following shows the invalid underground pipe culvert from the IJM Trehaus site behind BJ Cove houses at Lintang Bukit Jambul 1:

The nearby pond besides IJM Trehaus site:

Serious Drainage Issues

Letter from Penang Dept of Irrigation and Drainage (DID or JPS) in 2015 blamed IJM failure to comply with sedement control plan (ESCP) when its Trehaus started in 2014.

Developers dishonored directives/letters issued by Penang City Council (MBPP – Majlis Perbandaran Pulau Pinang) in 2015 to rectify the damaged house

Developers have not completed their committments to rectify the damages despite acknowledged their liability as per letters from Worldwide Venture Sdn Bhd, an subsidiary of IJM Land since 2014!

IJM Land only started in December 2017 constructing new drainage to divert waters from Trehaus Site to the pond and underground pipe culverts:

It is important that the pond should be made a dried pond instead of existing wet pond on the following reasons:

i) The area was originally a natural river/stream where waters will still be naturally running, seeped through underground even when the underground culverts are to be closed/abandoned later.

ii) More waters were being diverted from the IJM site to their underground pipe culvert and to BJ Cove houses.