LANDSLIDE

6 December 2008 will leave a huge mark for those involved in the landslide that occurred in Bukit Antarabangsa. Yes. Another landslide had occurred. This is the 3rd times for this season. It happens only 2 days after the second landslide that is in Damansara. The first one was in Hulu Selangor (or Kuala Selangor, I can’t remember), taking away the life of 2 innocent young girls. 4 deaths were reported in the latest landslide. As for the second landslide, Alhamdulillah, no one was hurt.
Landslide in Bukit Antarabangsa is relatively not new. It has happened before.

• December 11, 1993
48 people were killed when one of 2 Highland Towers condominium blocks in Bukit Antarabangsa collapsed.

• May 15, 1999
Landslide forced 1000 apartment dwellers at Bukit Antarabangsa in Ampang Jaya, Selangor to evacuate and cut off 10,000 residents near the area.

• November 20, 2002
Tan Sri Jen (R) Ismail Omar’s bungalow at Taman Hillview was flattened in a landslide tragedy, killing 8 people

• May 31, 2006
4 people were buried alive after a landslide hit Kampung Pasir, Hulu Klang. 16 families living at the nearby Taman Zooview were forced to evacuate their homes.

• April 23, 2008
4 cars were crushed after a landslide caused a boulder to roll down a parking area at Wangsa Height, Bukit Antarabangsa in Ampang.
(The Star, 7 December 2008)

Now, there are at least 6 landslides that have occurred at or around the same place. Have we not learned anything from this? With the latest events, the government has given a stop order to all hillside projects. Should we be relief with this order? Not to criticize the government but from what I can see, we always take everything lightly. I believe Dr. Benjamin George, a survivor of the Highland Towers tragedy will agree with me. I read his view in The Star Newspaper. He believes that the landslides will never end because the authorities do not have the will to stop it. He guarantees that there will be a stop work order for 2 months but in the third month the tractor will start work again. He has survived long enough to see all this nonsense repeated. So, why should we be relief?

I love to quote one verse the Quran.

“Mischief has appeared on land and sea because of (the meed) that the hands of men have earned. That God may give them a taste of some of their Deeds; in order that they may turn back”

This verse actually has a really deep meaning especially in our case now. It shows that although everything in this world happened according the will of Allah but it happens for a reason. Of course, the reason is us. There’s no need for finger pointing. We are the one should be blamed for all the disasters that occurring nowadays. Look around us. You will realize that most developments are carried out without proper planning. We are so greedy that we always take “short cut” in everything. We destroy everything. We should be in the state of equilibrium. The development and the preservation of nature should be balance. At the end of the verse quoted above, Allah says “in order that they may turn back”. Therefore, I suggest that you and I spent a little time to ponder ourselves. To the victims, I pray that God will give you strength to go through these hard times.