KUALA LUMPUR: The landslide that occurred in front of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Academy (MACA) at Persiaran Tunku Syed Sirajuddin, here, at 1.30 pm today is believed to have been caused by stagnant water and a broken underground pipe next to the entrance to the academy.

Sentul District Police chief ACP Beh Eng Lai said the Public Works Department (JKR) slope forensic unit carried out an analysis and found that the stagnant water outside the entrance was possibly due to heavy rain over the past three days.

"In addition, JKR also detected a broken underground pipe and both these factors resulted in water not flowing out, thus, causing the landslide," he told reporters when met at the scene today.

Elaborating, Beh that during the incident, two Rela (People's Volunteer Corps) personnel were on duty at the academy's entry gate and they heard a loud sound before realising a landslide had occurred.

He said the two Rela personnel then informed the MACA security guards about the incident and, by the time they arrived, the command post had collapsed and the area affected by the landslide is estimated at 30.48x36.57 square meters.

"We have taken preliminary action by instructing the 38 MACA employees and another 38 staff at the Malaysian Institute of Integrity (IIM), which is next door, to move to a safer area," he said.

Beh said there were no injuries or fatalities and several cars were trapped in the academy area as the landslide involved the only entry/exit route to the academy.

"Actually, there is a course being carried out involving about 70 MACC recruits at the academy. They are on Hari Raya Aidilfitri leave and are supposed to return tonight.

"They have all been informed not to come back yet following the incident as the situation is still unsafe," he said.

Earlier, Sentul Fire and Rescue Station operations commander E. Yogeswaran said his team received an emergency call at 1.54 pm today and eight personnel were deployed to the location.

-- BERNAMA