‘Wrong soil used in Bukit Kukus project’

GEORGE TOWN: We will be courting danger if construction firms continue to use sandy soil as filler soil like the Bukit Kukus Paired Road project, says Universiti Sains Malaysia Landslide Disaster Management and Soil Erosion expert Prof Dr Habibah Lateh.

“Sandy soil is not strong, it is loose and not compact.

“If they had used stronger soil, one that has higher pile value, it would be able to stay.

“Who monitored the site to see if the right soil was being used?” she asked at the landslide area in Paya Terubong yesterday.

Dr Habibah said she was there to see what might have caused the landslide.

“The cabin containers were also located on a slope and at the bottom.

“There is a stream on top of the hill which will loosen the earth, making it easier for a landslide to take place.

“As an academician, I do not know if the standard operating procedures (SOPs) were followed,” she said.

Dr Habibah said the state has good rules and regulations but claimed that the implementation and monitoring were not carried out.

“If an engineer had monitored it, they would have known if the sand was correct,” she said.

Dr Habibah said she was only doing this in her capacity as a researcher and was not approached by the state or the Penang Island City Council.

Meanwhile, the main contractor of the project, Yuta Maju Sdn Bhd, said that it had worked with third parties to ensure the recovered bodies were properly sent back to their respective countries.

“The respective consulates are well aware of the efforts being taken for proper repatriation of the bodies.

“The bodies found, including those rescued, are not our employees.

“The cabins were former living quarters of the workers employed for the project and were abandoned several weeks prior.

“Electricity supply had been disconnected as of Oct 2 to ensure that the cabins were not used by anyone,” the company said in a statement.

Sandy soil is not strong, it is loose and not compact. If they had used stronger soil, one that has higher pile value, it would be able to stay. Prof Dr Habibah Lateh