Our Story
On December 6, 2008, a massive landslide hit several hillside communities of Bukit Antarabangsa, which lies along the Titiwangsa Range in the state of Selangor. The incident happened in the dead of night, taking five lives and destroying 14 homes. It also destroyed the illusion of complacency and safety among the residents.
DISASTER IMPACT
In the wake of the disaster, the entire community faced many negative impacts: falling property prices, inability to secure bank loans, and no way to sell the house and move out. And most of all, there was a collective sense of uneasiness and fear among the residents that their homes could be hit by the next landslide.
WHAT WE FOUND OUT
The game-changing moment came from the findings of the forensic investigation team under the Public Works Department Malaysia. The residents’ eyewitness accounts revealed that the signs of the landslide were visible, weeks or even months before the disaster hit.
STARTING COMMUNITY-BASED SLOPE MONITORING
With this realization, proactive members of the community decided to compile all the signs into an awareness and education program and began sharing the knowledge with other communities so that others wouldn’t experience the same tragedy that they went through.
LEGACY
Almost 20 years on, the messages and lessons still hold true. And with climate change and more hillside developments, maybe even more so than ever.
Together with engineers, SlopeWatch has handled 231 cases/reports with residents around the country.
For the community, by the community,
and supported by experts
