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Wednesday, October 13, 2004

Some Malaysian Works Disasters

::The past one year has seen many disasters which appear to have some relations to the Works MINIstry. In Nov 2003, we had a major rockslide incident at the New Klang Valley Expressway (NKVE). Fortunately, there was no mortality as 27th Nov, was a public holiday. Those monitoring the slope saw rocks falling from the slope and lanscaping plants on the move. The NKVE was closed, this was just minutes before the slope came down, thus a major disaster was averted.
Regarding the cause of the NKVE slide, Samy had this to say then ::

“We feel that excessive water on the upper portion of the hill had somehow washed away the earth beneath the boulders, causing the boulders to give way.”

Fast forward to 735pm, 11th Oct 2004, some 11 months later. Another landslide has occurred, this time at 302nd kilometre of the North-South Expressway near Gua Tempurung. This slide or what some has labelled as another 'slope failure' was some half kilometre north of the one in 1996. The Works MINIster is the same Samy and as to te cause of 'slope failure', he had more or less more of the same to say ::

Samy Vellu said that extreme water pressure due to persistent heavy rain on the hill above the affected stretch was the cause of the landslide.
“The water eventually washed down, taking with it uprooted trees, boulders and mud from the top of a hill above the affected stretch onto the road below,'' he said after a briefing by PLUS officials.

When asked if the landslide was due to design faults in the expressway, Samy said: :

“You cannot say it is the design because the highway has existed for 18 years. At areas where there have been hill cutting, even though we have placed retaining walls, we can expect such incidents to happen.”
He said he would discuss with highway concessionaire PLUS on the possibility of building a single tunnel at the affected stretch, which he described as “very vulnerable due to the high hill.”

Soon after the latest slide had occurred, Samy was already thinking 'mega' when he made mention of this square tunnelling idea of his to prevent future 'slope failure' at Gua Tempurung.
The gods have been kind to the MINIster once again, for there has only been one minor casualty this time, an unfortunate motorcyclist who ended up with a fracture.
Despite the Gua Tempurung slide on 6th Jan 1996 at the 303.8th kilometre, the Pos Slim slide in 1996 and the NKVE slide last year, somehow monitoring of such slopes have not been done seriously or more diligently. The last trimester of the year is known for its heavy rainfalls and knowing the effects on these slopes, one can only conclude thatv monitoring works have been sloppy indeed. The opposition can once again call for Samy's resignation or sacking but that is like 'crying for the moon/bulan or Samy crying for the restoration of his 'crowning glory'. It can only happen with someone who has a much thinner epidermis.
Apart form these two 'slope failures' which are Works related, the past few months have also seen the following ::

The Jelapang Toll Plaza Accidents
The MRR 2 Cracked Pillar tales::It took 3 different consultants to nailed the cause of the cracks as due to design failure/fault. Samy had earlier said that it was not. But the Halcrow Group Limited from United Kingdom said not so.
Hospital Kulat Closed for 2 month Repairs::Health MINIster says that it was not unusual to find fungi in small portions in any part of a hospital, Samy agrees. Samy Vellu reiterated that the contractor would not be penalised by the ministry.
No Problem With East Coast Highway, Says Samy Vellu::Works Minister Datuk Seri S. Samy Vellu has refuted claims that the newly opened East Coast Highway (LPT) linking Kuantan and Karak is to be blamed for a spate of accidents, saying the main cause is driver recklessness and not the condition of the road.
The 18 % Unsatisfactory Ride Comfort East Coast ExpressWay::Samy was supposed to have been taken for a ride. Wondered if he was. Anyway, a preliminary profile study on the newly-opened East Coast Expressway (LPT) has revealed that only 18 percent of the 169-km expressway from Karak to Kuantan had unsatisfactory ride comfort quality, Works Minister Datuk Seri S.Samy Vellu said.
Repair Highway Before Hari Raya, Samy Vellu Tells Developer::Works Minister Datuk Seri S. Samy Vellu has given MTD Capital Bhd, the main developer of the East Coast Highway, 26 days to repair it following a spate of accidents.

With so much problems on Samy's head and having attributed wrong causes for them, it would be understandable if he should resign on his own without the opposition demanding for his hide. The rakyat may still get the moon/bulan yet.

| ¶ 10/13/2004 05:35:00 PM

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