Selangor Menteri Besar Abdul Khalid Ibrahim has trashed a claim that he violated the Official Secrets Act (OSA) by declassifying the Bukit Antarabangsa landslide report last week.

khalid ibrahim 301009 Speaking to reporters in Shah Alam today, he said the state government did not declassify the report, but only released "a general statement" on its contents.

"The four-page report that we released was a general statement. It did not contain (details) and from what we understand from MPAJ (Ampang Jaya Municipal Council), this was not part of the report," said the menteri besar.

The statement traced the cause of the landslide to leaks from active water pipes. This led to increased moisture in the soil, thereby destabilising the slope.

Federal government leaders have since claimed that Khalid may have breached the OSA, which carries a mandatory jail sentence upon conviction. They said the cabinet had classified the report as an official secret.

Liew Vui Keong, the deputy minister in the Prime Minister's Department, told English-language daily The Malay Mail that Khalid should own up because the declassification of the report was illegal.

In New Straits Times today, Works Minister Shaziman Abu Mansor said there is no need for the ministry to (declassify the report) as "the menteri besar was already making various statements" on the causes of the landslide.

Khalid, however, said it is the federal government that owes an explanation to Bukit Antarabangsa residents if it does not declassify the report.

‘Bureaucratic exercise'

The development has forced the Selangor government to hold back its decision to make the full report available to the public. It had intended to do this two days ago.

landslide bukit antarabangsa 05 Instead, it will instruct MPAJ to request the Public Works Department, which is under federal jurisdiction, to make the report public.

This, Khalid said, is based on Shaziman's statement that the federal government has not declassified the report because the council has not made any such request.

Shaziman said the ministry has told the council to provide the report to any party with an interest, especially owners of properties in the area.

Khalid said sarcastically: "So we are asking MPAJ to come up with a request letter to the federal government so that we can declassify (the report). This is a good bureaucratic exercise... what is easy is made difficult."

The menteri besar also said declassifying the report is a priority for the state government.

"There have been a lot of requests from Bukit Antarabangsa residents who want to see the full report so they will be able to study the whole situation. And the government is willing to provide it if the federal government approves it," he added.