It’s not the time to put the Bukit Antarabangsa tragedy behind us, not now and not in the next 15 years.
15 years ago, when one of the Highland Towers condominium collapsed, killing 48 people and government leaders quickly responded with promises to ensure more stringent regulations.
15 years later, in the landslide which killed 4 people with many more injured, politicians continue to put up public stunt with their pretentious look to show how caring they’re towards the victims.
The PM Abdullah Ahmad Badawi urged all the state governments to consider stopping housing projects on high-risk hillslopes.
"It would be good if the other state governments disallow housing developments in hilly areas. It’s not a loss, it’s for safety," he said.
After so many mishaps and victims, now only we Malaysians have the chance to experience rude awakening and to realize that for you to call for the end of housing development in hilly areas is due to your safety concern.
Thank you Pak Lah, your brilliant point taken!
Next, here comes the DPM Najib Tun Razak who said the government will not allow any development in hilly areas at risk of landslides to avert a recurrence of the mishaps.
"I believe there is no reason to carry out development on hill slopes at risk of landslides. It is better to take preventive measures to avert possible disasters. We have to learn from what has happened today," he said.
Apart from the Highland Towers, more than 10 landslide-related incidents had occurred in the Hulu Klang area as far back as 1985, it’s amazing for him to be fully aware now that it’s better to take preventive measures to avert possible disasters.
Thank you Pak Najib, just like Pak Lah, another brilliant point from you taken!
Now, let’s listen to a few firsthand accounts from a few survivors who have had tragic experience in the Highland Towers tragedy. Among them are Dr Benjamin George and former DPM Tun Musa Hitam.
Dr Benjamin George believes that landslides will never end because the authorities do not have the will to stop it.
The politicians will climb up their helicopters and say all development must stop.
There will be a stop-work order for two months but in the third month the tractors will start work again.
I have survived long enough to see all this nonsense repeated. […]
As for the former DPM, he is very disappointed that nobody seems to have learnt from the Highland Towers tragedy.
"So many years have since passed and today there are incidents like this happening again, causing death (as well). It’s very unpleasant memory, so sad. I personally experienced it. It has been hoped that whoever was guilty must be punished," he said.
His son and daughter-in-law were among the 48 killed in the unfortunate incident.
Now, after the finger-pointing and the delusions of pretentious sorrow and "I’m so sorry look" shown by those politicians who directly and indirectly played a role in these tragedies, what’s next?
Are we going to experience the recurrence of another disaster 3 months down the road after this latest tragedy, with tractors going to be seen working on another new hillside development?
Are we going to experience the similar wrath from the politicians 15 years down the road with the recurrence of the similar unfortunate incident, succumbing to the usual finger pointing games, review this and that, no permit for this and that, blame this and that, so on and so forth?
Now, a true Malaysian like Patrick Teoh, who truly understands how the typical Malaysia government works and having seen enough of delusions of pretentious sorrow display from those in power, feeling upset and painfully aware that the infamous remarks from the infamous duo liken to putting salt on the wound without any sincere and determined action.
Now as a Malaysian I should be used to politicians talking cock each time there is a disaster and lives lost. But this time what I saw and heard was just too much to bear. If I had been at the press conferences I would have spat in the faces of these two insensitive, idiotic, infuriating morons. Malaysians have lost loved ones, are traumatised and have an uncertain future facing them and all these 2 fuckers can come up with is a load of political-speak. Of course, the studies will be launched. Task forces will be set up. Reviews will be done. As they have been done before. And a lot of fucking good these have done. Nobody even remembers them. And listening to the 2 of them I could already hear the insincerity of the statements made.
Now you be the judge.