Letter to MPAJ - follow up

Ir Hj Zolkeflee bin Abd Hamid
Majlis Perbandaran Ampang Jaya
Jabatan Kejuruteraan,
Aras 11, Jalan Pandan Utama, Panda Indah
Selangor Darul Ehsan
55100 Kuala Lumpur 13th JANUARY 2010

Dear Ir Hj Zolkeflee,

Ref.: Follow Up of Issues Proposed by Residents of Wangsa 9, Bkt. Antarabangsa

With reference to our tele-conversation on Tuesday (12th January 2010), these are the following issues the residents would like to propose. These issues have prior been highlighted to the attention of Encik Othman bin Idris on 28th October 2009. We take this opportunity to thank you on a cordial meeting we had with your department on the 28th October 2009, with the presence of Puan Noor Azaliah binti Hassan, Encik Rojohar Salleh and Encik Amran Ismail (Jabatan Perbandaran). Encik Othman has now been transferred to MPS, we hope you will be able to continually support our requests as listed below:

1. To represent us as an official communication channel to liaise with all related authorities in particular JKR.
2. We would like to know a definite date for evacuees to go back to their homes.
   The respective designs on the failed slope by JKR.
3. Security – some immediate measures need to be looked into seriously since there has been several breaking-ins. The last one just occurred on the first week of January this year. All water meters on Jalan Wangsa 9 have also been stolen as on the 2nd of January 2010. All evacuees are very concerned with their properties being invaded by strangers.
4. Waver of quit rent and land assessment for the year 2010.
5. Lightings on Jalan Wangsa 9 – spots lights which were installed previously, only two are working. If more lights are installed, the place will be lit up better hence will deter intruders from taking opportunities on the abandoned houses.
6. Temporary supply of water and electricity for general upkeeping since the house has been abandoned for more than one year.
7. Recompact and repave the new road for the other half of Jalan Wangsa 9 (further proposal on this will be written in to your attention again).
8. Proposal of underground cables – please refer to the letter dated 21st Oct 2009 as attached.
9. Landscaping of proper fencing and trees that needed to be pruned once the properties ready for habitation.

I look forward to meeting you tomorrow (14th January 2010) in your office to discuss further on the issues above.

Thank you.

Yours faithfully,

YENHEE
Committee Member & Spokeswoman for Wangsa 9

COBARA Campaign - hillslope awareness 5thDEC09 @ Craven Cafe BA

I attended the above event,basically COBARA agenda is on prevention.

1. JKR WORK ON FAILED SLOPE- spoken to YB Zuraidah on working with JKR to expediate work on failed area so to enable evacuees to return home soonest.
2. SECURITY-highlighted police officers from ulu kelang station and reminded more frequent patrolling to safeguard all abandon properties eg.wangsa9.
3. MAILS- I have recently followed up and received feedback on mails and i gather that all mails for evacuees are now in the retention post office TMN MELAWATI. I could not find time to attend to this today. I shall check with the post off next week.

Thank you and regards,YENHEE

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Boulders Collapsed for the 2nd Time @ Wangsa Heights Condo

Tuan Syed from Wangsa Heights Condo called to inform me that some boulders adjacent to the condo collapsed. The boulders came down to the condo building's carpark. The same incident had taken place last year on the open carpark which is just some tens of metres away from the location where boulders fell last year. Both incidents had damaged a car. And we are lucky that only 2 cars are sacrificed. Today's incident could have been a disaster if the boulders that came down happened to cripple one of the pillars of the building that houses the residents. The fact is, this is the same repetition of incidents and incidents took place due to the ignorance of our authorities. From last year's incident (similar occurrence) I understand that geological study was made by IKRAM. We all know that some methods of prevention would have been recommended... and it stopped there. The whole history repeats itself. As a rakyat, I am truly saddened by the way our government treat its rakyat. No authorities seem to want to learn anything since the collapsed of Highland Towers. When any of these disasters strike these places will be flooded with huge loads of VIPs to mark their attendances like school kids to sight seeing the place. The issue will take front coverage of all daily for 1 month or so and after that the victims are left to defend for themselves. Having said that we still continue paying our taxes. My family and I are evacuees who until today, still striving to live a normal life away from my abandoned home. We have been told we can go back, initially end of Oct and later was told Dec and last heard 'end of Feb'. JKR has its signage pillars built firmly at the entrance of the failed slope(Wangsa 9) has no courtesy of informing evacuees when we can go back or update us on the progress of work. The work on the failed slope is seemingly slowed down. We have been kept in the dark. One morning when I went to JKR office at ground zero there was no one there! Well, it is expected anyway... By the way, we really do live in a high, mighty and ambitious country where our leaders always cannot even seem to address basic issues of necessities of its rakyat. Likewise we being the rakyat couldn't even give a damp on any campaign our leaders promote. All these campaigns cost millions of ringgit are sucked out from our hard earned money.... Tomorrow is the 1st of Syawal, SELAMAT HARI RAYA TO ALL OUR MUSLIM FRIENDS ESPECIALLY TO HASRUL MPAJ OFFICER AND MPAJ STAFF. HASRUL IS ALWAYS THERE FOR US. Hasrul rushed to the scene once he was notified. He is one of the very few who has taken full responsibilities of his job. How wonderful if we have more replicas of Hasrul. He break fast with a packet of Yeo's offered by Tuan Syed. We would like to note our appreciation to state government for their prompt rental subsidies.

Thank you and regards,
YENHEE
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Follow up & Update on Hse 62 Jln Wangsa 1

At 8.30 am this morning, I had gone to have a look at the property and it appeared to be in very much 'physical' damages. No evident crack lines found on the ground where tiles came out and also on the walls within the living and dining area. I went to JKR office and there is no one there. At 3.50 pm, Timb. YDP confirmed that MPAJ had made its inspection today. It would be good if the owners themselves can follow up by getting engineer / architect to check the building thoroughly inside and outside to re-ensure it.

Thank you and regards,
YENHEE
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Reported Cracks on Hse 62 Wangsa 1, Bkt A'bangsa @ 9pm 3rd Sept 09

Good evening, En. Ali (JKR site engineer) and Tuan Abd Hamid (Timb YDP MPAJ). Sorry to disturb at such hour. At about 9 pm, I received a call that property no. 62 ,Jalan Wangsa 1, suffered some cracks in its living hall. Would appreciate your immediate inspection and follow up tomorrow morning.

Thank you and regards,
YENHEE
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Chee's (W9) SMS in Response to The Sun

Dear Dato M & Raymond,

I was disturbed to see you quoted a saying that everything is ok with the repair works at Bkt Antarabangsa this morning. Works are behind schedule, security at Wangsa 9 is a problem. Yen's house was broken into just last week and the contractor says it is not his responsibility, while we are still barred from going back to the units. Contractor claimed he hasn't been paid by JKR. So things are NOT all okay if you had checked some facts before making a statement to the press. By the way, the road quoted should be Wangsa 9 and not Wangsa 5. So, Please check with Yen before making a statement or we may have to issue a separate statement for Wangsa 9 contrary to yours and we do not want to look disunited to the press.

Chee C.C.: Yen, Bismi

Respond to Article on The Sun

Dear Wangsa 9 residents,

With reference to THE SUN PG4 today reported that we are happy with remedial work, few of Wangsa 9 owners are NOT AT ALL happy with the statement made by Dato Muniandy when:

1. Two houses had been broken in recently;
2. Remedial work slowed down - can we go back at the end of this year? Where many rental tenancy will expire, where many are still trying to adapt ourselves in rented places, rental places are not 'justifiable';
3. Cracks appeared after remedial work has started;
4. Issue on handling d job by JKR to MPAJ still in question.

All these claim that we are happy? Are we? Have the above been attended to? Maybe THE SUN should talk to the victims to understand the real situation. It is definitely UNFAIR for someone to put words in our mouth. I don't understand why the camouflage is for? We are already the victims and we don't want to be victims of any political advantages to any party. Kindly note.

C.c.: Dato Muniandy, Raymond, Chee.

Thank you and regards,

YENHEE

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Malay Mail 28 June 09

Click on the image for a clearer view.

6 Months down the road

9 pm -

In conjunction to 6th month of Bukit Antarabangsa landslide tragedy, a dear friend Sheila, someone I call 'woman with a heart of gold' called me to ask "how's the going" and if there are issues to be addressed or highlighted in the media. I am very much thankful to her for the fact that she still remembers. I am not sure how many of us do. Somehow I am conscious over the number 6! Sheila focuses on the overall issues from grievances to forthcoming. After my teleconversation with her, I spoke to 2 chairmen from 2 adjacent neighbourhood to the landslide. Syed Bokhari (Impian Selatan condo) and Farid Faiz (Taman Bukit Jaya - 8 houses evacuated).

Issues concerned (Wangsa 9):

1. JKR- lack of communication with residents though assurance was given that we can count on them - with recent collapsed stadium in Terengganu which was under JKR- how to restore confidence to the general public especially to 44 evacuees waiting to go home?
2. Residents are concerned and would like to know about the cracks that appear after stabilizing job on failed slope commenced.
3. Case on a house buyer, a foreigner whose outfront payment was forfeited due to housing loan was being withdrawn by bank.

Thank you and regards,

YENHEE

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Star Interview 29Apr09 : Work Progress on W9 Failed Slope

I was interviewed by Sin Chew (Chinese media) too last week and the article appeared on Saturday 25 Apr where my feedback is residents are rather contented with the progression of work. What is still lacking is the technical communication from between JKR and residents. We have been advised not to intervene with their work and leave this to JKR which will deliver the job in qualified standard of requirement.

As on Tuesday 28 April, house owners from Wangsa 9 discovered cracks on their properties which only happened after the remedial work started by HCM. The cracks were not there before. We would like to know WHO and HOW are they going to make good of the houses? Is the stabilization work on the failed slope been carried out to the standard of expectation? What are the causes of the new cracks? Reason being as a layman's point of view, the cracks appeared due to earth movement. Apart from soil nailing on the failed slope, there suppose be micro pile on the whole stretch of Wangsa 9. This understanding was given to us in JKR BRIEFING in Menara MPAJ on 26 February 2009. To date we have not seen machinery set up for that. The failed area is an area by itself, can micro pile start at the other end of Wangsa 9 ? We were told that with proper progression of work 44 households would be able to go back to their homes by OCTOBER this year. We would like to appeal again to the MINISTRY OF WORKS and with our newly appointed Minister to address our concerns of our problems.

Thank you and regards,

YENHEE

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Mach Rental Subsidy & General Updates

11.38 am -

Dear residents,

With regrets, my follow-up with TYDP MPAJ on 2nd April has no indication for March rental subsidy to be paid out. We will look into writing officially to State Government to attend to this matter promptly. On a separate matter, the work on failed slope on Wangsa 9 is progressing in a satisfactory manner. Please be informed RESIDENTS MEETING on SUNDAY 5 April, 8 pm at WANGSA UKAY RESTAURANT.

Thank you and regards,

YENHEE

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JKR Seminar Poster

Click on the image for a clearer view.

P.S. Apparently, the web address stated on the poster is a dead link. To visit their official online "slope engineering branch" site, you should click on the following link:

http://slopes.jkr.gov.my/

JKR Follow up

4.05 pm -

Timbalan ketua JKR had informed me that tomorrow onwards (Saturday 14th March) contractors will start working on stabilizing work to arrest the encroachment to prevent further damage to houses especially no 17. The task is tedious due to the 'vertical cliff'. Concurrently reclamation work will also take place from below. We are being reminded to leave the contractors to do their job which will be supervised by JKR's resident engineer.

Thank you and regards,

YENHEE

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JKR Signage 12Mar09

10.45 am -

JKR is in the process of erecting signage just at the entrance of Wangsa 9.

FOLLOWING DETAILS : Main con HCM , Consultant IKRAM, Project Dir Timb Ketua JKR bahagian pakar.

Kindly note.

Thank you and regards,

YENHEE

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Water Supply @ W9 10Mar09 Reconnected & Disconnected Same Day

4.30 pm -

Water supply to be reconnected has been among the things I have been working on. I understand that water supply was cut off to avoid any unforeseen leakages underground. This has been highlighted to MPAJ and requested MPAJ to retap new temporary water supply from Wangsa 7 to Wangsa 9. Today late morning, Wong, resident 15 Wangsa 9 informed me of the water been connected when he was there this morning. We were all happy for a moment. The next minute Wong also noticed the water leakage on the exposed failed slope. We are all aware of the buried pipes gave way as a result of the landslide. I had to immediately informed MPAJ, JKR and called SYABAS to cut off supply on 6th Dec. 2008. We need to identify the source of leakage. Later, Yap, 17 Wangsa 9 was at the site and he had taken the responsibility to check on every house when pipes house 27 were all opened and water was flushing. We don't have the time to ask every resident to ensure their taps are off so the sure way was to disconnect again. In fact, I spoke about water piping to Dato Ashaari on Saturday 7th March 2009. Would like to check the possibility of proposing that new 'seen' water pipings are to be incorporated in the design of the rectification work likewise with the drains and sumps in one of the JKR meeting with Kamar Kassim (brought up and confirmed by Dato Ashaari on Thursday 26th February 2009). Dato told me to request the plan from SYABAS. I shall follow up on this.

Thank you and regards,
YENHEE
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JKR: Follow up 10Mar09

About 11.10am this morning I had a reasonable tele-conversation with Timbalan Ketua Pengarah on 2 major concerns:

1. Encroachment to house 17 is evidently at its worst over the long weekends (5th slide after 6th December 08)
2. As promised on Thursday, 26th February we have not seen any substantial set up work for the slope just yet. Mr Selva, the Timbalan gave strong assurance that our concerns are been taken into action that had gone through procurement processes. My questions and requests are immediate protection of tarpaulin to slope as all tarpaulins are all flushed away, work commencement and expectations, person for us to liaise and names of contractors and design. Mr Selva's response: preliminary work, detail survey, setting of site office and logistic work are the concentration within this week. This is definitely taking place as assured by Mr Selva. I am aware and saw a gen set been placed sometime last week and that was about all. Issuance of instructions on scope work to contractors are finalised by JKR. We are being advised by Mr Selva to leave the consultancy n design aspects to JKR which has a proven track record of Malaysian standard of custodian. Work to be accomplished less than 1 year on the failed slope. Project manager will be Dato Baharudin. Mr Selva also will consider to invite 2 representatives to sit in their 1st site meeting. Names of contractors will be on the notice board which will eventually be put on the site.
3. Tomorrow Wednesday 11 March: JKR will have a meeting with contractors at JKR head off. Mr Selva will be in the position to advise further after the outcome of the meeting. I will follow up again on Friday (13th March).

Lastly I was told to have faith in JKR!

Thank you and regards,
YENHEE
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Seminar: Landslides by 'Caw Kejuruteraan Cerun JKR' 7thMAR09

I attended the above seminar held at Flamingo Hotel from 3 pm to 5.30 pm. It's aim is to promote awareness of the general public which also encourage the public to be equally 'responsible' in looking out for signs and general maintenance of slopes. We were also briefed on factors and types of landslides, slope covers and retaining walls. A brief on Town and country planning Act 1976 which section 21 A and 22 are very much lacking (by the way I will update the brochure and other information on my blog too). All these are generally public information so I did not find anything in particular that has the answers to my interest as a responsible hill slope resident. THREE ISSUES AND CONCERNS I BROUGHT UP IN THE SEMINAR were:

1. After several events of such landslides in our country the 'MAIN' coordinator has yet to be identified. This has to be dealt immediately where CKC JKR must come in to give immediate attention to the already failed slope to deteriorate further. Eg. in Bukit Antarabangsa under the directive of Chief police, the concentration was merely rescue operation which the root of the cause was not attended to. It was more than 10 days before the failed slope was covered with tarpaulins and all broken drains and sumps were patched up after the insistence by fellow Wangsa 9s. We had to initiate and drag authorities to do it. In other words to stabilize the slope was not itemised in the list of our CPO. I am sure MPAJ was being contacted but in view of their lack of proficiency technically and with just 'one' engineer it was an impossible task. Having said this, this 'one' MPAJ engineer is someone we appreciate dearly. It is high time a DISASTER team is to be set up to deal with all sorts of disaster but now in our case, landslide where CKC JKR should be formalised from a unit to a department. ACTION TO TAKEN : Dato Taha and myself discussed and BAAC will write in to ministry of 'bencana alam' to support such move. CKC JKR will then supervise all slope managements and supervise all local authorities on slope developments and maintenance. ISSUE
2. This seminar aims to educate residents too. As far as Wangsa 9s are concerned, we had been observing all the signs of landslide but all complaints were taken too lightly if not at all over the years. In conclusion MPAJ has a lot to buck up on its engineering department and its strict liaison with developers on maintenance.
3. This seminar has sufficiently taught us all issues in relation to landslide HOWEVER I feel that we will be more educated if we can get hold of the JKR REPORT to identify and determine the causes of our slope failure which in all cases the general residents and public should be able to be accessible to. We need to know. So far JKR or IKRAM REPORTS have been kept away from the public. I requested for the JKR report. (by the way,we have been requesting all the time) ANSWER :Dato Asahari said that the whole report will be completed in 2 or 3 weeks time and will be in cabinet and will look into making it available to public.

Thank you and regards,

YENHEE

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GENERAL UPDATES

6.20 pm -

Today itself I had follow up and spoken to TYDP, Chief OP officer, YDP's officer and Legal officer on 2 outstanding issues:

1. Rental subsidy & commencement of work. Both are going to materialise within these two days. JKR is ready to move in.
2. I have got the letters of 'pengesahan rumah tidak selamat diduduki ' for Wangsa 9. For residents in Bukit Mewah and Bukit Jaya who may need such letter please call me.

Thank you and regards,
YENHEE
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JKR's Invitation

Jemputan Untuk Menghadiri Program Kesedaran Awam Tanah Runtuh & Keselamatan Cerun

Click on the image for a clearer view.
Click on the image for a clearer view.

JKR Consent Briefing: OUTCOME

With reference to the above, residents and committee are generally very happy with the outcome of the briefing. Consent letter drafted by MPAJ is very much in the interest of the residents. This is due to the committee's liaison with MPAJ and Dato YDP has been very accommodating in many ways. For the record, this the BEST I have attended since 6th December 2008!

In general,

1. the target is October for the 44 owners to be back if weather permits and no unforeseen circumstances.
2. Four contractors have been appointed together with 3 reputable consultants (names will be let known to committee once price negotiation is finalised)
3. JKR will have met contractors on price negotiation Friday 27th February 2009.
4. Work is scheduled to start next week.
5. We will hand in all consent letters by tomorrow (Friday) after Dato T get them stamped. A copy will made for those involved and I will need to collect stamping fees!

On a separate matter, committee is now planning 100 DAYS which will fall on 15th March to commemorate the event.

Thanks & Regards,
YENHEE
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