ID :
34534
Mon, 12/08/2008 - 18:41
Auther :

M'SIAN MINISTER:GIVE PRIORITY TO LIVES

KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 8 (Bernama) -- International Trade and Industry Minister Muhyiddin Yassin Monday advised people living in the vicinity of Saturday's
landslide in Bukit Antarabangsa, Hulu Klang, near here to give priority to lives
than anything else.

"The most important thing now is to save lives. We do not want them to be
thinking of their dwellings and so on," he told reporters after a visit to the
operations room of the search-and-rescue (SAR) team and to look at the SAR
operation at the landslide areas.

Inspector-General of Police Musa Hassan briefed Muhyiddin on the SAR
operation.

Muhyiddin said the people should take the evacuation order of the security
personnel seriously because based on the reports of the Public Works Institute
of Malaysia (Ikram) and the Public Works Department (JKR) the area in the
vicinity of the landslide was unstable owing to the incessant rain, particularly
Monday.

He said Musa had also briefed him on the strategic measures to be taken in
the case of any eventuality.

On Sunday, Selangor state police chief Khalid Abu Bakar ordered some 2,000
residents in four areas, Impian Selatan Condominium, Taman Bukit Mewah, Jalan 6A
Taman Bukit Jaya and Jalan Wangsa 9 Taman Wangsa Ukay in the vicinty of the
landslide area to evacuate immediately because Ikram and JKR had found the areas
to be at high risk for landslides.

Four people died in the landslide which occurred at 4am on Saturday. The
four killed in the tragedy were Dr N.Yogeswari, 40, accountant Eng Yee Peng, 30,
Shaiful Khas Shahrudin, 20, and Indonesian national Surinah, 30s.

Initially the search-and-rescue (SAR) operation was called off Sunday
evening but it resumed later that night to find a missing Sri Lankan maid of
veterinary doctor Yogeswari.
-- BERNAMA

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