Author: web Desk

 

 

BATANG KALI, Dec 18 (Bernama) — The Selangor Fire and Rescue Department found four new leads today on the possibility of finding bodies under the rubble of the landslide that occurred at a campsite along the Batang Kali-Genting Highlands route here.

 

Selangor Fire and Rescue Department director Datuk Norazam Khamis said the use of ground penetrating radar (GPR) was very helpful in narrowing down the search area in all sectors.

 

“The GPR has detected objects suspected to be human bodies underground, and has so far helped identify 14 points,” he said, adding that not all of them resulted in the discovery of human remains.

 

 

 

Meanwhile, Hulu Selangor District Police chief Supt Suffian Abdullah said the registration plate numbers of the seven vehicles involved in the landslide here last Friday were recorded to identify their owners.

 

He said the police would examine all the licence plates to see if they were related to the nine victims who were still missing.

 

Norazam said that although no soil movement was detected at the SAR location so far this afternoon, the search team was urged to remain alert due to the rainy weather.

 

 

 

“The safety of the team is a priority at this time. In this situation, we instruct the members to reduce their movements and only stay within the sectored locations and not make any aggressive movements.

 

“Currently, sector A is the riskiest spot because it is in a sloping area,” he said.

 

Meanwhile, when asked about the condition of the bodies discovered, Norazam said most of them were found intact.

 

He said although the soil movement posed some risk to the SAR team, the situation also provided an advantage in terms of the search.

 

“Most of the bodies were found at a depth of one to two meters, and due to the soil movement, the victims were pushed forward, so it made it easier for the team to find the victims with the help of an excavator.

 

He said the operation was stopped for about an hour at 4.30 pm due to rain before resuming at 5.30 pm, but had to be halted again 8.15 pm due to heavy rain.

 

A Bernama survey at the scene of the incident as of 9 pm found that it was raining heavily, while telecommunications access was also affected.

 

 

Source: BERNAMA News Agency

 

JOHOR BAHRU, Dec 17 (Bernama) — All forest eco parks as well as hiking and four-wheel-drive (4WD) vehicle tracks in the permanent forest reserves in Johor, are closed to the public from today until a date to be determined.

 

The directive was issued by state Forestry Department (JPNJ) director Datuk Salim Aman through a notice posted on the department’s official Facebook page.

 

According to the notice, the closure is a precautionary measure to prevent any untoward incident or accident during the monsoon season.

 

 

 

It said that any violation of the directive will be acted upon under the National Forestry Enactment (Adoption) 1985.

 

Based on JPNJ’s official portal, among the forest eco parks in the state are Gunung Arong, Mersing; Gunung Belumut, Kluang; Panti, Kota Tinggi; Gunung Pulai, Pontian; Gunung Pulai II, Pontian; Soga Perdana, Batu Pahat; Sungai Bantang, Segamat and Taka Telor, Segamat.

 

 

Source: BERNAMA News Agency

 

 

KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 17 (Bernama) — There was a drop in the number of flood victims in Kelantan this morning, while the situation remained unchanged in Pahang, Terengganu, Johor and Perak.

 

In KELANTAN, State Disaster Management Committee (JBPN), in a statement, said the number of flood victims housed in seven temporary relief centres (PPS) in Pasir Mas decreased to 1,814 people from 565 families, compared to 1,882 people from 593 families last night.

 

Of the total, 712 victims are taking shelter at Sekolah Kebangsaan (SK) Tok Deh, SK Kedai Tanjong (34), SK Gual Periok (516), Masjid Mukim Padang Licin (57), Putat Tujoh PPS (142), SK Kubang Kual (189) and SK Sri Kiambang (164).

 

 

 

In PAHANG, the JPBN secretariat said the number of evacuees remained at 141 people from 36 families, who are currently housed at the SK Sinar Mutiara PPS in Sungai Miang, Pekan.

 

The Meteorological Department predicted that the district will experience rain throughout the day while Sungai Keratong in Rompin is still at over the danger level while Sungai Triang in Bera is at the warning level.

 

Meanwhile, in TERENGGANU, the JPBN secretariat said that SK Atas Tol in Kuala Terengganu is the only PPS currently operating, housing 20 people from five families.

 

 

 

In JOHOR, the number of flood victims stood at 91, with 21 families taking shelter at three PPS in Segamat, namely Balai Raya Kampung (Kg) Batu Badak, Balai Raya Kg Kuala Paya and Dewan Komuniti Kg Tasek, while three families at the PPS in Kg Lubuk, Mersing as at 8 am.

 

The flood situation in PERAK also remained unchanged, with only one PPS open at SK Sungai Tiang Darat this morning.

 

The JPBN secretariat said the PPS houses 15 victims from seven families from Kg Sungai Belakang, Kg Sungai Tiang and Kg Sungai Nipah Darat.

 

 

Source: BERNAMA News Agency

IPOH, Dec 17 (Bernama) — The Ipoh City Council (MBI) has instructed all tourism operators in areas at risk of landslides and water surge phenomenon to cease their operations temporarily.

 

Ipoh mayor Datuk Rumaizi Baharin said a notice would also be sent to all the operators concerned on Dec 19 (Monday) to ensure that the instruction is adhered to.

 

“For your information, we have closed two locations, namely Kledang Saiong Forest Eco Park, Meru and Bukit Bangkong, Chemor, since early November.

 

 

 

“We took this action after getting the advice from the Department of Minerals and Geoscience, who informed us that the soil in the areas is quite soft due to the relatively high rainfall and can pose a risk to visitors,” he told reporters after attending the Battle of the Buskers finale here today.

 

Yesterday, Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi advised that all campsites near hill slopes and rivers be temporarily vacated following the current uncertain weather conditions.

 

This followed the landslide tragedy at the Father’s Organic Farm camping site in Batang Kali, Selangor, early yesterday morning, which has claimed 21 lives so far.

 

 

 

In another development, Rumaizi said MBI would submit an application to the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) to get Ipoh listed as one of the Creative Cities of Music.

 

He said the council was in the midst of preparing the documentation required by UNESCO, adding that the application must be submitted before June 30 next year.

 

 

Source: BERNAMA News Agency

 

BATANG KALI, Dec 17 (Bernama) — The Hulu Selangor Municipal Council (MPHS) has issued 25 temporary closure notices to campsites in the municipality that are at risk of being hit by disasters.

 

MPHS president Mohd Hasry Nor Mohd said the action followed Local Government Development Minister Nga Kor Ming’s order yesterday for all campsites near rivers and in high-risk areas nationwide to be closed for seven days with immediate effect.

 

“MPHS has issued 25 notices to high-risk campsites located near rivers and slopes in Hulu Selangor.

 

 

 

“Some are unlicensed but we are conducting a whitening process and have directed all homestay operators to get the necessary licences,” he told a press conference during a search and rescue operation today to locate the 12 missing victims of the Father’s Organic Farm landslide here.

 

Nga said the directive had been issued to 155 local authorities after a forecast that heavy rain would continue for five days beginning today due to the Northeast Monsoon season.

 

The death toll from the landslide stands at 21 while 61 people survived the tragedy.

 

 

Source: BERNAMA News Agency

 

KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 17 (Bernama) —  The Malaysian Palm Oil Green Conservation Foundation (MPOGCF) is sponsoring RM1.1 million to upgrade the Bornean Orang Utan Showcase at Zoo Negara in a move to promote national orang utan conservation initiatives.

 

MPOGCF general manager Zamakhshari Muhamad said the sponsorship was a part of the foundation’s ongoing efforts to advocate for harmonious coexistence between humans and orang utans, especially in promoting its concept of ‘Living Together in Harmony’.

 

It was introduced at the beginning of August this year, by putting fourth the idea that endangered and protected wildlife species make part of the nation’s inhabitants, such as the Bornean orang utans, through its “The Other Malaysians” campaign.

 

 

 

“MPOGCF’s sponsorship of the Bornean Orang Utan Showcase will allow Zoo Negara to make significant improvements to their open-concept enclosure, which would include restoration and conservation work, in ensuring that the Bornean orang utans currently housed at the Ape Centre would continue to live well under the Zoo’s care and supervision,” he said at the handing over of the cheque here today.

 

Also present were Zoo Negara president Datuk Sr Zaharin Md Arif, Zoo Negara deputy president Rosly Rahmat Ahmat Lana and MPOGCF Board of Trustees member Hairulazim Mahmud.

 

Zamakhshari  said the orang utan population is often linked to the oil palm plantations in Malaysia which contributed to the negative perception to the extent that the country’s palm oil industry receives unfair treatment internationally.

 

 

 

“The real threat that contributed to the extinction of the orang utan is poaching apart from the long birth interval (once every seven years) that makes the orang utans grow and breed very slowly.

 

“Therefore, the MPOGCF as the lead agency in the conservation of the environment is responsible for correcting the negative perception because the palm oil industry is a major contributor to the country’s economy and development,” he said.

 

Meanwhile, Hairulazim said he hoped the strategic collaboration would introduce MPOGCF to the locals and overseas visitors, thus promoting the palm oil support industry to efforts to wildlife conservation.

 

“MPOGCF is supportive of green conservation through funding for projects or conservation initiatives to restore and enhance the image of Malaysia’s sustainable palm oil industry internationally,” he said,

 

Among the projects that are funded by MPOGCF that are currently and will be implemented are the Million Tree Planting Programme, the setting up of the Borneo Elephant Sanctuary, the Malayan Tiger Conservation Programme and the development of the Conservation and Education Park at the Kuala Terengganu Botanical Park in Kuala Terengganu.

 

 

Source: BERNAMA News Agency

 

BATANG KALI, Dec 16 (Bernama) — The bodies of a mother and child, believed to be buried alive in the landslide at a campsite in Gohtong Jaya this morning, were found hugging each other.

 

Selangor Fire and Rescue Department director Datuk Norazam Khamis said they were the 17th and 18th bodies found at the site next to the river at 4.40 pm.

 

“At 5 pm, the rescue team located another body in the same area and efforts are being done to bring it out,” he told reporters at a press conference at the location today.

 

 

 

Norazam said 19 bodies have been found as of this afternoon while 14 other victims still missing.

 

“Search and rescue efforts will continue until all the victims are found,” he said, adding that the operations will only be halted in the event of heavy rain.

 

A total of more than 700 rescue personnel are involved in the operations.

 

 

 

Meanwhile, Hulu Selangor District Police Chief Supt Suffian Abdullah said the next of kin of the deceased can go to the forensic department of Sungai Buloh Hospital to identify the body.

 

 

Source: BERNAMA News Agency