Landslide Threats In Selangor, Perak And Pahang
Bernama 19 Feb 09;
Selangor, Perak and Pahang have been identified to be at high risk of experiencing landslides based on a study conducted by Universiti Teknologi Mara (UiTM).
The study was conducted based on rainfall distribution and intensity as well as soil erodibility which were used periodically to calculate the threat of landslides in the country, the university's International Research Centre on Disaster Prevention ((IRCDIP) director Prof Dr Roslan Zainal Abidin said.
He said the centre was also conducting a comprehensive study on landslide threats in the country, which is expected to be completed in 2015.
"We will use existing techniques to identify actual locations with high risk of landslides and the early symptoms," he told Bernama after tabling a working paper, entitled "Use of Rainfall Soil Chart in Highland Development" at a seminar on environmental management here Thursday.
Roslan said the guidelines available in the country was sufficient and that monitoring and enforcement had to be conducted more strictly as a preventive measure against the recurrence of landslides.
Meanwhile, Deputy Natural Resources and Environment Minister Datuk Maznah Mazlan said the ministry was preparing a draft on regulations for development of highland and hill slopes and was also revising the Amended Land Conservation Act 1960.
She said various environment awareness campaigns would also be organised this year.
Maznah said Malaysia's position in the "Environmental Sustainability Index Study' conducted by Yale University was at 26th among 149 countries last year, from 38th among 146 countries previously.
"This showed that we are serious in tackling the negative effects to the environment at the source, enhance conservation efforts and adopt a sustainable management of natural resources," she said in her speech when opening the seminar.
It was read by the ministry's Under Secretary of the Mineral and Geoscience Division Dr Azimuddin Bahari.
About 130 participants attended the seminar which was organised by the National Institute of Public Administration (INTAN).
-- BERNAMA
