JOHOR BARU: The Johor government has instructed all agencies, including local councils, to monitor critical slopes throughout the state.
State public works, transportation and infrastructure committee chairman Mohd Solihan Badri said that this was to avoid landslides from happening during the current rainy season.
“Slopes located along major roads, including the North-South Expressway and interstate roads, are under the jurisdiction of the Public Works Department (JKR), which has a special unit to monitor them.
“Slopes that are within residential areas, including at factories or offices, is under the respective local council’s jurisdiction,” he said when contacted here yesterday.
Solihan also urged agencies that find slopes in critical condition to immediately carry out remedial works.
“Public safety must be the utmost priority during this monsoon season which can trigger floods and landslides,” he said.
Yesterday, JKR and the Mineral and Geoscience Department (JMG) stepped up measures to ensure public safety by looking out for potential disasters such as landslides and floods with the ongoing northeast monsoon season.
After monitoring slopes nationwide throughout the year, JMG has identified a total of 122 high-risk critical slopes with a potential for landslides.
According to JMG’s location map of critical slope locations, Perak has the highest number of high-risk slopes at 18, followed by Selangor (15), and 12 each for Negri Sembilan, Sabah, and Sarawak.
There are also 11 critical slope locations in Penang, 10 each in Johor and Kelantan, seven in Terengganu, six each in Kedah and Pahang, two in Melaka, and one in Perlis.
The risky locations in Johor are Taman Saujana Jementah in Segamat, an industrial area along Jalan Yong Peng-Sri Medan in Batu Pahat, Munchy’s Factory in Sri Medan, Kampung Masjid Taman Gunung Lambak in Kluang, Taman Impian Kluang, the Kluang Syariah Court complex, Felda Semenchu, Jalan Gunung Panti, Bukit Pelali in Kota Tinggi, and Jalan Bukit Kempas here.