The Penang government has gazetted the formation of a state commission of inquiry (COI) on the deadly landslide in Tanjung Bungah which claimed 11 lives on Oct 21 last year.

Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng said the decision to gazette the state COI had been consented to by Penang Governor Abdul Rahman Abbas on Dec 6 last year, with the COI being subsequently gazetted on Dec 21.

"We have just received the letter on the commission's gazette and the appointment letters for the commissioners will be issued by state secretary Farizan Darus," said Lim at a press conference in Komtar today.

He explained that the gazette enabled the state government to appoint a panel of commissioners and gave them the power to investigate the incident in question.

"Former Bar Council head Yeo Yang Poh has been appointed as the chairperson of the commission, and engineers Gue See Saw and Ramli Nasir as the members," he added.

Lim said the panel will investigate the incidents according to the terms of reference, which includes investigating if the landslide was due to a nearby quarry, which had been operating within the vicinity for several years.

The commission is also tasked with probing whether the landslide and deaths of victims were caused negligently or intentionally.

The commission will recommend any action, including legal action, or any other actions if necessary, towards the individual, company or authority who were found to have caused the landslide which resulted in the injury or death of the victims, Lim added.

Following the incident, the project developer from the Boon Siew Group of Companies said the incident may have been the result of a worksite accident.

On the other hand, environmental NGOs said such disasters, including a massive flood on Sept 15, were caused by aggressive hillslope development.

Lim had then called for a state COI to be established, saying the building contractor undertaking the construction works at the landslide site would be blacklisted.

"The commission is tasked to investigate if all necessary approvals have been obtained by those responsible for the project at the site, which was slated for a 50-storey affordable housing project.

"It will recommend any improvements to the relevant procedures, which should be taken by the authorities or any other quarters to avoid a repeat of the incident," Lim said.

Lim said the commission must prepare a detailed report on its investigations within 30 days from the date the hearing commences, or within the period granted by the authorities.

The report, he added, will be handed over to the Penang governor.

Asked why the announcement was made today although the commission has been gazetted on Dec 21, Lim said: "It's normal as it has to go through various procedures."