Landslide tragedy: Police to call up more people to assist investigations

BATANG KALI: Police will be calling up more individuals to help the investigations into Friday's landslide tragedy at the Fathers' Organic Farm campsite, Gohtong Jaya here, including victims who survived the disaster.

Hulu Selangor District Police Chief Supt Suffian Abdullah said this may be done in "a week or two " considering the condition and trauma experienced by the survivors, who are mostly from Sekolah Jenis Kebangsaan Cina (SJKC) Mun Choong, at this time.

On Saturday, the police had summoned three individuals, namely the operator of the campsite and two of his employees to assist in the investigations.

I believe in this case, many more will be called up including the survivors," he told a press conference here today.

In the incident at about 2.42 am on Friday, a landslide measuring nearly 300 metres long and 70 metres high hit the campsite located along Jalan Genting-Batang Kali.

As of noon on today, nine victims are still missing, while the death toll stands at 24, A total of 94 people were reported to have been at the campsite, The rest were rescued.

Suffian said the case is being investigated under Section 7 of the Local Government Act 1976 and Section 304 (A) and Section 290 of the Penal Code.

He said the police had also identified five of the seven vehicles caught in the landslide and that two of the owner were dead, two safe while the other is still missing.

Meanwhile , he said that all 24 bodies recovered from the scene had been handed over to their next of kin and families yesterday.

He also urged family members or acquaintances of those still missing to go to a police station to lodge a report.

Suffian also advised parties not to spread videos or pictures that could embarrass the victims of the incident because it could lead to violations of the law either under the Communications and Multimedia Act 1998 or the Penal Code.

-- BERNAMA