YOURSAY | Assurances go down the drain with second sinkhole

YOURSAY | ‘If another person is harmed, the mayor, FT minister should resign for giving false assurances.’

Second Jalan Masjid India sinkhole appears 50m from first one

Concerned Masjid India traders want concrete solution

OCT: Earlier Inspector-General of Police Razarudin Husain advised the public not to worry about nearby locations around the tragic sinkhole on Jalan Masjid India.

He also told the public not to be influenced by social media that claims the area around Masjid India is not safe.

However, another sinkhole appeared… IGP should stick to the enforcement and security of Malaysia. Let the appropriate and qualified person give the assurance based on evidence and facts.

Patriot Malaya: Didn't the mayor and Federal Territories minister just say there was nothing to worry about? Talking nonsense without having the facts?

Heads must roll at several departments as well as the Federal Territories ministry.

If another person is harmed the mayor and minister should resign for giving false assurances.

Bobby O: Kuala Lumpur is safe, said the new mayor Maimunah Shariff. Hardly warming up to her seat and already making political speeches.

Have you any experience or academic qualifications concerning this issue of soil erosion, mayor?

So please do not make any "syiok sendiri" (feel good) statements. Go to the ground and make sure you know the details before commenting.

Do not listen to the little napoleons around you.

Sealthedeal: Clearly, the newly installed mayor's comments that the area was safe were complete bluster.

She should take a walk down the whole street. The operation to find the missing victim has been an embarrassing failure and picture of incompetence.

But what do the authorities push out except salute the bravery of the Search and Rescue (SAR) team who from all the photos of the incident just seem to be standing around staring into the sinkhole.

Dr Suresh Kumar: What happened to the “KL is safe” declaration by the mayor, without even carrying out soil structure assessment in the vicinity?

In fact, such a test should have been carried out when the first sinkhole appeared in that area about a year ago.

The "tidak apa" (careless) attitude is staring at our faces and our lives.

RedKiwi9134: We must get to the bottom of the Jalan Masjid India sinkhole incident that took the life of that Indian tourist.

We must hold someone accountable. How could the victim fall directly into the sewage? It’s 8m-deep and swept away by sewage?

It’s mind-boggling to a layman like me.

Is the underground sewage drain pipe laid by Indah Water not a full circular pipe? Or a half circular pipe with the top half exposed?

With the incident and graphic video showing the victim falling into the sinkhole still so vivid and disturbing to the mind, and the constant uneasiness and fear over the soil condition, business in Masjid India will definitely take some time to revive.

Locals who have no business there will shun the place.

Chefoo: I am no expert but the recurrence of another sinkhole on the walk pavement certainly shows something is seriously not right in the place.

Some below-standard and haphazard work by contractors on the walking pavement is likely causing the water flow and sinking.

Imagine if the building structure is compromised. Pity the traders. Proper assurance should be given with proper technical tests before the area is opened to the public.

WhiteHornet2439: Changes in the weather pattern and intense rainfall, possibly due to climate change can be one cause of these sinkholes.

However, in Malaysia, corruption is so rife that it may be possible some corners may have been cut by tightly squeezed subcontractors, during the construction of the Indah Water sewerage system and the cut corners are now failing.

Will the people who cut these corners or who took money to certify below par work as having met the engineering design standards come forward?

RedMarlin1833: The government must act swiftly for damage control and ensure this sinkhole issue in that area is resolved immediately.

The livelihood of the people in Masjid India will be affected and thousands of tourists and locals will stop shopping there.

World Citizen: This is very serious. Not sure which other parts of the city are similarly vulnerable.

Experts including foreign ones who have experience in this sort of catastrophe must be called in to assist in identifying such spots and rectifying them immediately.

It may also be better for Masjid India folk to close their operations temporarily until this problem is sorted.

VS: We have to get experienced experts in this field from abroad to check the safety of the roads, LRT, high rise structures in the city because of these sinkholes.

Could boring underground LRT tunnels be the cause of these sinkholes? The load-bearing capacity of the soil could have deteriorated due to the rains and floods over the years too.

MarioT: Today, our main roads are full of bad patchworks on potholes and shabby restoration of parts of the roads that were dug up for laying pipes, among other works.

Gone are the days when we used to have good quality roads. Cutting corners and compromising on quality of work for money, leads to disasters endangering human lives and affecting people's livelihood.

Koel: There are many government agencies that should be attending to such matters as sinkholes to keep the people and country safe.

This is coming too soon after the uprooted tree incident that killed a motorist and injured others.

Incompetence and tidak apa behaviour are leading to loss of lives. Is anyone being held responsible? If not, this will continue.

Prevention is better than cure. Short-term thinking, apathy, shortcuts and laziness are to be blamed. This will end in class action suits and lawsuits that cost the country dearly.

The above is a selection of comments posted by Malaysiakini subscribers. Only paying subscribers can post comments. In the past year, Malaysiakinians have posted over 100,000 comments. Join the Malaysiakini community and help set the news agenda. Subscribe now.

These comments are compiled to reflect the views of Malaysiakini subscribers on matters of public interest. Malaysiakini does not intend to represent these views as fact.