Summary of news - Damansara 21

Major incidents so far

Huge tree uprooted and branch pierced roof, narrowly missing bed and sleeping family member, developer footing repair bill, June 2008

Mud flowing down from the hill covered the entire area, Aug 2008

Heavy rain causes retaining wall to collapse, two families evacuated, Aug 2008

Developer to pay for damages, refuses to comment, Aug 2008




Developer: SDB Properties

Hillside project did not fulfil the DID requirements, May 2008

Developer: We have DID’s letter, May 2008

SDB Properties fined and issued stop-work order after failing to comply with safety standards, June 2008

Damansara 21 project might be illegal, June 2008

DID has yet to endorse the Erosion Sediment and Control Plan, June 2008
Medan Damansara Residents Association Chairman - "A directive by the cabinet in 2002 stated there must not be any development on slopes of more than 35 degrees." "For development on slopes of 25 to 35 degrees, the plan must include a risk erosion map, slope stabilisation measures and geotechnical report." It was reported City Hall will give the green light for the project if the developer meets the conditions for rectification work set on April 21. SDB was slapped with a stop-work order and fined RM100,000 for not putting up a perimeter drainage system, siltation traps and hoarding; and creating an access road on Jalan Kasah when the plan stated it should go through Jalan Beringin. SDB had also not maintained the blue plastic covers for the slope.

In defence of developers, July 2008
Managing director of SDB Properties Sdn Bhd - A lot of time and effort has also been put in to development planning, obtaining approvals and appointing top quality consultants for the (Damansara 21) project.

Let developer of Medan Damansara project continue to strengthen slope
(If project is) left in its current state, it only threatens the safety of the area.



KL City Hall and Mayor's response

Medan Damansara folks against project, wants proper study, Sept 2007

Lush green lung area of Medan Damansara may disappear, Oct 2007

Cabinet directive in 2002 - no development on slopes of more than 35 degrees

Draft local plan has to be displayed for public review, consultation, comments and objections, Oct 2007

Residents irked by DBKL lack of transparency and failure to abide by simple by-laws, Apr 2008

Slope above 35 degrees, June 2008
Pihak jabatan ini mendapati memang benar pihak pemaju telah membuat kerja-kerja pemotongan tanah di kawasan yang mempunyai kecerunan melebihi 35 degree.

Possibility of Anti-Corruption Agency report, June 2008
"We have all the documents to show that they (City Hall) should not have approved the project but instead they went on to grant approval. Surely City Hall isn’t blind”

DBKL has all the experts unlike other local councils and so does not require DID’s expertise, June 2008

Blatant inability of Mayor to accept responsibility of massive error in approving Damansara 21, June 2008

Residents views are not important, Jul 2008
Mayor Datuk Ab Hakim Borhan - Residents views are not important when structuring a strategy as important as the Draft Kuala Lumpur City Plan 2020

No hillside development projects on steep slopes, 2004
Datuk Abdul Hakim Borhan, 2004 (now KL City Hall Mayor) - The council (MPSJ) will not approve applications for development projects on top of slopes with a gradient of more than 35 degrees. Slopes that exceeded 35 degrees were deemed extremely sensitive areas and could create problems for the surrounding low-lying land. We have experienced flash floods and mud slides as a result of development on such sensitive areas in the past as some of these areas serve as water-catchment areas