KUALA LUMPUR: The non-stop construction of high rise buildings on hilly areas and poor drainage system are believed to be among the causes that lead to over 250 critical slopes nationwide.
Environmentalist Dr Sharifah Mazlina Syed Abdul Kadir said excessive deforestation for new construction had stripped the land of tree roots, thus making the slopes extremely unstable.
"We have a few hundred critical slopes but what's next? Enforcement needs to be done. Another building on a steep hill? Stop that!" she said.
She added that the drainage system needed to be upgraded from the design used decades ago.
Sharifah Mazlina said land offices and geologists should conduct a study before approving projects on hilly areas and reclaimed mine sites.
"Geologists too should speak up about it, utilise their expertise and be given the authority to begin working on it.
She suggested for the government to expand awareness-raising initiatives and campaigns on the significance of combating climate change while there was still time.
Sahabat Alam Malaysia (SAM) president Meenakshi Raman said publicising all earmarked project sites would provide greater transparency.
"The public could be the eyes and ears of the government to ensure necessary measures are taken to prevent any slope failures or landslides.
She said unscrupulous land clearing for instance, could lead to slope failures and land-slips.
"When such sites are removed, intense rainfall can cause significant soil run-off and produce landslides, endangering the lives of those nearby, as well as cause rivers to overflow and result in flash floods downstream," she said.
The Minerals and Geoscience Department today confirmed the existence of 254 critical slope locations around the country, which mainly focuses on densely-populated and economical areas.
Sabah has the most number of slopes, 36, followed by Perak (25), Johor (25), Pahang (25), Terengganu (25), Kelantan (25), Selangor (21), Sarawak (21), Negri Sembilan (19), Penang (13), Kedah (8), Melaka (6), Perlis (4), and Kuala Lumpur (1).
The department promised to conduct routine monitoring that includes data mapping, inventory, evaluation, and updating other than exchange crucial slope monitoring results with the local authorities, government technical agencies or departments, and responder agencies.