239 slopes identified as very high risk in Perak

Focus

By SAIFULLAH AHMAD

19 Dec 2022 11:54am

Nizar (left) with Hamdan during the press conference at the Perak State Legislative Assembly Media Conference Room, Perak Darul Ridzuan Building, on Monday.

IPOH – Perak Public Works Department (JKR) identifies 239 slope locations categorised as very high risk in the state.

Its Chairman Hamdan Ali said there were 211 locations classified as high risk, 642 locations at medium risk, low risk (777) and very low risk (1,562).

He said the Batang Padang district had the highest number of very high risk locations with 128 located along Jalan Tapah-Cameron Highlands.

“There are three very critical routes now which are Jalan Tapah-Cameron Highlands, Jalan Baling-Gerik (East-West Highway) and Jalan Simpang Pulai-Blue Valley.

“In 2022, a total of 61 slope locations in Jalan Persekutuan have been repaired involving Batang Padang, Hulu Perak, Kinta and Kuala Kangsar district with a cost of RM103 million,” he told reporters during a press conference at the Perak State Legislative Assembly Media Conference Room, Perak Darul Ridzuan Building, here, on Monday.

Perak Infrastructure, Energy, Water and Public Transport Exco Datuk Seri Mohammad Nizar Jamaluddin said the state government through related agencies were constantly monitoring the locations of the risky slopes that had been identified.

He said JKR had installed sensors and rain gauges in critical slope locations to give an early indicator to the department to enable monitoring and emergency actions to be carried out.

He explained there was not a need to close roads in the risky areas for now because there were no dangerous signs for it to be used.

“We advise road users to be vigilant especially during the current unusual rainy season.

“The monitoring is done continuously by JKR and the concessionaires were appointed to ensure that if there is a sign of danger we will inform whether it is necessary to close the road or otherwise,” he said.

Among the other routes that were at very high risk included Jalan Kuala Kangsar-Gerik-Pengkalan Hulu, the road entering the Lepang Nenering Felda, Jalan Lepang Nenering 1 and 2, the road entering the Bukit Kledang VHF Station, the road entering Bukit Naga VHF Station as well as the road entering the Bukit Larut VHF Station.