Developer to pay for damages

29/08/2008 The Star

KUALA LUMPUR: The developer of the Damansara 21 condominium project in Medan Damansara here will pay for the damages incurred by the two families who had to be evacuated when a retaining wall behind their homes collapsed during heavy rain on Wednesday.

Kuala Lumpur Mayor Datuk Ab Hakim Borhan, who visited the site last evening, said the developer would rebuild the retaining wall for the affected houses.

Measure against erosion: Plastic covers have been placed over the area where the retaining wall at a condominium project at Medan Damansara collapsed on Wednesday.

He said the developer would remove soil from the slope and cement it to prevent mud from flowing down.

“The rectification work will take seven days to be completed and the developer will pay for the damages incurred by the families,” said Hakim.

The victims are now staying at a nearby luxury hotel.

According to Hakim, DBKL had been conducting checks at the site every Friday.

He added that the developer had asked for permission to build a U-shaped drain along the edge of the slope from Lorong Setiapuspa 1 till Lorong Setiapuspa 3.

“The soil erosion was caused by water that saturated the soil, so the solution now is to drain the excess water,” Hakim said.

The developer refused to comment but its consultant, Y.Y. Guo, said they preferred to address the safety issues and to help the affected families.

Guo added that they would prepare a report in the next few days and hand it in to DBKL.