CAMERON HIGHLANDS, January 28 – Sahabat Alam Malaysia (SAM) expresses distress over a landslide incident in Blue Valley, Cameron Highlands, claiming four lives. The cause of the landslide is under investigation, raising concerns about the impact of hill clearings in the region for various projects, including agriculture and construction. In January last year, the Yang Di Pertuan Agong, Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri’ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah, urged a review of projects in hill areas and highlands in Cameron Highlands due to heavy rains and the potential for disasters.
Despite this directive, the recent landslide indicates a lack of adherence to the highest authority’s concerns. During a recent visit to Cameron Highlands, SAM’s President witnessed extensive overdevelopment, including hill clearings for agriculture and large-scale construction in the Blue Valley area. The once-charming landscape is disappearing, replaced by scarred terrain and ongoing construction projects, eliciting complaints from visitors about the loss of natural beauty and cooler temperatures.
SAM calls on state and local authorities to address the environmental sensitivity of the area, cease further approvals for clearings in all projects, and conduct a thorough review of past approvals. Urgent measures, including slope rehabilitation and preventive actions, are essential to mitigate the risk of future landslides and slope failures. SAM advocates for the establishment of a Task-Force to conduct the review and disclose its findings to the public.
