Residents urge authorities to build retaining wall

The residents of Kampung Lembah Bertam are urging the authorities to build a retaining wall and a wider irrigation canal to prevent possible recurrences of mudslides.

Village head Wong Fook Shai, 56, said such a move was necessary as heavy rains frequently caused mudslides at the river banks.

"The authorities should build a retaining wall first and then widen the river. If not the situation will get worse as the floods will cause mudslides which will destroy our farms," he told Bernama yesterday.

Wong, who has been the village head since 2009, said the tragedy which occurred on Wednesday was the worst ever experienced by the villagers.

The Bertam valley, Ringlet mudslide occurred about 1am. The released water from the Sultan Abu Bakar caused the Bertam River to burst its banks. Three people died, one was injured, one is still missing and 80 houses and about 100 vehicles were damaged.

Wong, who has lived in the valley for more than 50 years, said the residents were trying to estimate their losses in order to apply for some assistance.

Meanwhile, a Bernama survey at the Ringlet community hall found that all the victims were left with only the clothes on their backs.

According to Margaret Roslin, 48, she heard the warning siren about midnight signaling the release of water from the dam.

"When I heard the second siren I grabbed my kids and ran. My house was right in front, so I saw it being washed away," she said.

A Pahang Social Welfare Department spokesman said as of 3pm yesterday 87 victims from 21 families have been housed at the relief centre.

They are being provided with basic necessities such as food, blankets and clothes, he said.

Farmer still in shock

Meanwhile, a farmer is still shell-shocked that his farm, which he inherited from his family 30 years ago, was gone in a flash in the disaster.

Khor They Keng (right), 42, when met by Bernama yesterday, said his farm now was "nothing but mud".

"I was told by my brother at 1am (Wednesday) that the mud deluge had destroyed my farm.

"I thought it would not have been so bad but when I got the see the destruction this morning, there were no longer any vegetables, only mud," he said.

He said had lodged a police report and estimated his losses to be about RM200,000.

He added that his produce on the half-hectare farm was sold in the Klang Valley and now his livelihood was affected.

A horticulturist, who only wanted to be known as Wong, said he not only lost his five-hectare flower farm in the disaster but also one of his workers, who was swept away in the rush of water and sludge and drowned.

He said he had yet to estimate his losses.

"I will make a police report first and after that assess my losses," he said.

Cameron Highlands Fire and Rescue chief Yusri Abdullah Sani said rescuers had to call off their search for more victims at 7pm yesterday and that the operation would continue today.

He said they had yet to trace the missing victim but was confident they would be able to when the debris was cleared from the river's banks.

RM38.9 million allocation

In a related development, Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak has approved RM38.9 million for rebuilding the area affected by mud floods in the valley.

Natural Resources and Environment Minister G Palanivel said, other than overhauling the surrounding area, the fund would also be used to deepen and broaden the Bertam River and relocate affected residents to a new site.

"Najib then decided to give immediate aid to revive the affected area," Palanivel, who is also MIC chief, told reporters after chairing the party's central working committee meeting in Kuala Lumpur yesterday.

- Bernama

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