Gov’t to conduct integrity audit on utility system at Jalan Masjid India - DPM Fadillah

KUALA LUMPUR: The government will conduct an integrity audit on the entire utility system at Jalan Masjid India here after the search and rescue operation for the victim of the sinkhole incident in the area is completed.

Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Fadillah Yusof said the inspection is being carried out to ensure public safety and to identify the cause of the subsidence in the affected area.

He said the integrity audit would involve several agencies, including the Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL), Indah Water Konsortium, the Public Works Department (JKR), the Fire and Rescue Department, and the Department of Minerals and Geoscience (JMG).

"We will examine all utilities and the entire underground system here by conducting a post-mortem to determine how to prevent similar incidents in the future... sometimes new developments are carried out, so we want to find the cause of the land subsidence.

"We will investigate the cause and improve this (utility) system," he said during a press conference after visiting the site of the sinkhole incident at Jalan Masjid India today.

Fadillah said Jalan Masjid India would be temporarily closed to vehicles until the search and rescue (SAR) operation was completed.

Regarding offers from foreign countries to provide expertise for the SAR operation, which was now in its sixth day, Fadillah said that there was no need for such assistance at the moment as the national SAR team possessed the necessary expertise, equipment, and the latest technology.

At the same time, he reminded the public not to speculate about the incident, including the appearance of a second sinkhole about 50m from the initial site.

"I hope everyone will refrain from making speculations, as many 'Google experts' tend to emerge. This will not help; let the involved parties conduct the investigation. So far, the area (Jalan Masjid India) is safe," he said.

Last Friday (Aug 23), an Indian national, Vijayaletchumy, 48, fell into an eight-metre-deep sinkhole while passing through the area on her way to a nearby temple.

The SAR operation, which was activated the same day, involves members from various security teams and local authorities using various techniques, including the use of search dogs.

-- BERNAMA