THE ‘Safety Guideline for Hillsite Development 2012’ is currently being reviewed and improved.
Penang Local Government, Housing, Town and Country Planning Committee chairman Jagdeep Singh Deo said the review was conducted by the state Technical Advisor Committee, together with the Geotechnical Division, Penang Island City Council (MBPP) Engineering Department and other geotechnical advisors.
“The state Technical Advisor Committee is chaired by Datuk Dr Gue See Sew, who was a member of the State Commission of Inquiry (SCI) into the Tanjung Bungah landslide.
“We hope to present improved ‘Safety Guideline for Hillsite Development 2012’ draft to the State Planning Committee in December this year,” Jagdeep told a press conference today.
He said the team proposed more stringent guidelines to be complied with pertaining to hillsite development.
“The state government has proposed that an accredited independent checking engineer be appointed by the state local governments and not the project developer.
“This is to ensure that the independent checker is truly independent in his decision,” he said.
Jagdeep said it was also proposed that an independent accredited checker be appointed to check geotechnical reports (by the geotechnical engineer) for slope above 15 degrees gradient.
He added that the cost of appointing the independent accredited checker is to be borne by the project developer.
This comes after the SCI into the Tanjung Bungah landslide in 2017 made several recommendations in its 116-page report.
Also present was state Department of Occupational Safety Health (DOSH) director Jaafar Leman.
On a related matter, Jagdeep said both local councils would be amending their bylaws pertaining to illegal earthworks.
“The bylaws are scheduled to be amended by February next year,” he said.
Story by Edmund Lee
Pix by Adleena Rahayu Ahmad Radzi