THERE must be proper guidelines in place for camping activities to ensure safer conditions for both the participants and recreational site operators, business owner Azizan Yunus said.

The Asia Camp Sdn Bhd proprietor said the authorities should draw up standardised regulations for camping. 

Azizan said the government must immediately engage with stakeholders in the industry to discuss guidelines for camping site handlers.

He said these will be useful not only to site proprietors, but also participants and the authorities.

“There are risks when we carry out outdoor activities, some are unavoidable. 

“However, we can minimise the risks by following guidelines. We hope the government can work with us operators to come out with specific guidelines for camping,” he said. 

The death toll after a landslide at the Father’s Organic Farm campsite in Gohtong Jaya, near Genting Highlands, was pegged at  21 last night.

The authorities said that 12 people are still missing. Search and rescue operations were suspended last night due to bad weather and will resume at 8am today.

Natural Resources, Environment and Climate Change Minister Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad said the landslide was due to slope failure. 

According to the minister, based on the data received, there was a slope failure 500m in length, 200m wide and 8m deep.

“The volume is 450,000 cubic metres,” he said during a press conference at the location.

Nik Nazmi also advised the public to be mindful when they go to high-risk areas during the rainy season.

Azizan said his company already has a set of guidelines in place as it had been in the recreational business for 12 years. 

He said to ensure safety, the guidelines for camping grounds handlers should include the following: 

1. Create a risk assessment management system form at the beginning of each year to gauge possible hazards. 

2. Campsite operators must have a certificate of eligibility to carry out activities.

3. Create a safety route map and assembly point for visitors in the event a disaster occurs.

4. Have competent staff to handle emergency first aid before professional help arrives.

5. Create a health examination and medical history form for each participant.

6. Create a participant feedback form to control risks (in order to attend to smaller recurring but preventable troubles such as infrastructure damage).

7. Obtain expert advice relating to slope safety – for owners of camping sites located at foothills or in high places.

Azizan said according to his database, there are about 300 campsites in the country. His company has a stable of 30 handlers at various sites. 

He added that it is not advisable to go camping during the monsoon season. 

“There are risks so we have to manage it. If we have outdoor activities, we also have a place to gather in case there are any incidents. 

“There also must be risk management courses for operators.”

Universiti Utara Malaysia Recreation Management lecturer Mohamed Khairi Alwi said it is not a good idea to engage in outdoor activities during the monsoon season as the weather is unpredictable.

He said while rainfall and strong wind are the key threats, other factors such as jungle terrain and fallen tree branches could cause dangerous conditions for recreational activities.

“Looking at the incident in Batang Kali yesterday, ground conditions could be fragile during the monsoon season. Heavy rainfall could loosen soil strength.

“I’m not a geologist, but this is the basic explanation. It is not advisable for rustic camping. There are other campsites on flat ground.”

Khairi added that even the Forestry Department does not allow any hiking or camping activities to be conducted during the monsoon season, except for in a few states. 

This, he said was to avoid any incidents from occurring. 

“Except for in Penang and Perlis, the Forestry Department does not allow hiking or camping around the mountain areas. 

“No permit will be issued by the state government.”

He also said that sometimes people camp on private land so it is difficult to prevent it. 

“There needs to be awareness on the risk of conducting outdoor activities during monsoon season.”

Meanwhile, Sahabat Alam Malaysia (SAM) president Meenakshi Raman, said there must a commission of inquiry to get to the root cause of the landslide and for preventive and remedial measures to be taken.

“Those responsible for the deaths of the victims in the Batang Kali tragedy must be brought to book.

“The root cause of the incident must be investigated and publicly disclosed,” she said.

She also questioned how a campsite was allowed to be set up on a hilly area, while photographs showed that a major slope failure had occurred under the highway nearby, in the upper reaches of the site. 

“What triggered that to happen? There should be a moratorium in place on all further hillslope developments until there is a thorough review of how vulnerable or resilient these areas are to increased intensity and frequency of rainfalls due to climate change.”

Meenakshi added that the government must expedite the National Adaptation Plan to understand the climate impacts on vulnerable and high-risk areas and take urgent measures to build climate resilience. – December 17, 2022.