RESIDENTS in Taman Saga in Ampang, Selangor, are seeing red over the lack of action on their complaints about mudslides and floods in their homes caused by the construction of the Sg Besi-Ulu Kelang Expressway (SUKE).

The loosened earth and lack of remedial action have been causing repeated damage to their properties and cars since construction began three years ago.

Construction works also cause noise pollution day and night.

Khairy Yahya, 57, a Taman Saga resident, alleges that these problems occurred because the contractor had been negligent of the standard operating procedures (SOP) for the highway’s construction, which takes place on a hillslope.

“We want to know the truth if they are really following the construction SOPs. This area on a hillslope is known for landslides and floods, so are they following the SOPs to prevent these issues?”

Khairy said residents should not be made to bear the consequences if the contractor had been negligent.

They also can’t monitor the ongoing work because the construction site is boarded up and is off limits to the public, he said.

While residents have channelled their grouses through the SUKE highway monitoring committee, Khairy said no action had been taken.

The committee is made up of representatives from Taman Saga residents, local authorities, contractors and developer, Projek Lintasan Kota Holdings Sdn Bhd (Prolintas).

“We also want authorities, such as the Public Works Department and the Malaysian Construction Industry Board (CIDB), to come and see the problem.

“Some elected representatives have come, and so has the Ampang Jaya Municipal Council president, who said he would discuss the problems with the MPAJ technical division.

“But we still do not know what had transpired,” said Khairy, who has lived here for 30 years.

Residents fear the area will become another Bukit Antarabangsa, a landslide-prone area in Ampang.

In May, a landslide forced seven families out of their double-storey terrace homes in Taman Kelab Ukay, Bukit Antarabangsa.

No casualties were reported and the homes were not damaged but the authorities have barred the occupants from moving in until the situation is assessed and soil erosion is dealt with.

The SUKE highway is 24.4km, starting from Sri Petaling and ends at Jalan Ulu Klang.

Civil society organisations and residents’ associations protested against the project, approved in 2016, for destroying forest reserves in Selangor.

The highway will cut through the Bukit Sg Puteh permanent forest reserve, which is a water-catchment area and source of raw water supply for Kuala Lumpur, Putrajaya and Selangor.

In early January 2018, construction was halted following landslides at a slope near Bukit Saga.

Resident Malik Abu Halim, 56, said the contractor failed to improve the drainage system, which contributed to the mud flows.

The retired teacher said his house floods each time it rains heavily.

“The first case (of flooding) occurred because the developer did not construct a drain. The rain that flowed down the hill destroyed our porch and the developer repaired it.

“But still every time it rains, water will enter the house. That’s why I said there seems to be something wrong with this project.  

“If they want to do a project, the drainage system must be done first but this doesn’t seem to be the case,” said Malik.

Another resident, Abd Hamid Ayob, said the residents of Taman Saga 5 are most affected because their houses face directly the construction site.

“It’s just 15m from our homes. We made many complaints and were told the problem would be solved. But what action have the authorities taken?

“They just came to clean up the area but no remedial work is done.”

Malik also expressed concern over mosquito-borne diseases because of stagnant water in the silted and damaged drainage system.

“Taman Saga is already famous for dengue cases, now it is malaria,” he said, referring to news about the increase in malaria cases among construction workers, which Prolintas acknowledged in a statement on June 27. – July 31, 2020.