Experts long warned of sinking cities along Malaysian coast

Taken from the Youtuber EARTHBOUND, 3 years ago: 

Temperatures and sea levels are rising all over the world. Low-lying coastal cities are already dealing with disastrous floods and are desperately trying to find innovative ways to combat rising sea levels. Here are ten sinking cities that will soon be underwater.

Jakarta was mentioned. In South-East Asia, two other cities are also seriously facing the risk of sinking; namely Manila and Bangkok.

Malaysia's Kuala Lumpur and other coastal cities are not spared too.

The effect of climate change is not a hoax as claimed by Donald Trump. During his 22 years 'reign', Mahathir too ignored the environmental cause championed by fomer US Vice President, Al Gore. 

According to a 2022 article by The Diplomat here: 

Almost certainly, between 2030 and 2050, peninsular Malaysia’s western and eastern shores will be inundated by the waters of the Malacca Straits and the South China Sea, perhaps submerging as much as 12,000 square kilometers of coastal property, or up to 1.7 million hectares of agricultural and urban landmass.

These losses would be truly devastating.

Malaysian being Malaysian would trust a foreign source, but the local National Erosion Study 2015 had identified critical coastal erosion in Johor, Perak, Terengganu, Sabah and Sarawak 10 years ago. 

In 2019, there was another study done by Nature Communication. They too sounded the alarm that a big part of Malaysia will be underwater by 2050. 

But what did we do?

Berpolitik tak habis2. While, the authorities and commercial self interest with politicians hands in glove ignored the warning. 

Thus, Terence Fernandez has every right to have the sinking feeling towards indiscriminate development especially when boundless articles and videos highlighted climate change risk. 

He wrote in his column in The Scoop.my below: 

Exactly one week ago, Indian national Vijaya Lakshmi, 48, went missing after she was swallowed up by a sinkhole which suddenly opened up at Jalan Masjid India. She is yet to be found. – Muharram Kasim/Scoop pic, August 30, 2024

OPINION/ANALYSIS

A sinking feeling – Terence Fernandez

Sinkhole incident evokes discussion that it cannot be business as usual at DBKL

Terence Fernandez

Updated 2 hours ago

30 August, 2024 9:00 AM MYT

IS Kuala Lumpur finally bursting at the seams after decades of indiscriminate development?

This would be the hysterical response to the sinkhole tragedy in Jalan Masjid India which swallowed a foreign tourist one week ago.

The vivid and disturbing CCTV images of Indian national Vijaya Lakshmi, 48, falling into the pit as the ground opened up are making their rounds globally.

Meanwhile, smaller sinkholes have formed in the city and a major one appeared in Bangsar South.

Until the tests are done and investigations are more conclusive, experts from the “University of Google” have been giving their two cents about what could be the cause.

While it is prudent to wait for the actual findings, it is not out of place to have a robust discussion about the development of the city and if proper measures are being taken to ensure safe and sustainable development of Kuala Lumpur – which incidentally has the most number of skyscrapers in South East Asia.

There are 241 buildings in Kuala Lumpur that are taller than 150m. By contrast, Jakarta, which comes in second, has only 165.

Despite a glut in office space, Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL) continues to give approvals for new office buildings.

With over 30 million square feet of office space access, development orders continue to be issued.

(One previous Federal Territories minister was constantly attending groundbreaking ceremonies for one development after another.)

Kuala Lumpur is the city with the most skyscrapers in South East Asia with 241 buildings over 150m-tall. – Abdul Razak Latif/Scoop file pic, August 30, 2024

That DBKL has frozen planning permission applications for the construction of buildings in Kuala Lumpur seems to indicate that City Hall is toying with the idea that there could be a link between these incidents and construction activities in its jurisdiction.

Kuala Lumpur Mayor Datuk Seri Maimunah Mohd Sharif issued a directive earlier this week that development applications will not be entertained without a geotechnical study prepared by certified engineers.

One would expect all this while that geotechnical studies would be a no-brainer before you drill 300m into the soil to erect a building.

With flash floods during a downpour as common as a vadai stall in Brickfields, questions of indiscriminate development are on the tongues of ratepayers.

That trees are being uprooted and killing motorists also raises questions about what is happening underneath our feet.

Are the city’s irrigation and drainage networks, which is a multi-agency responsibility, being maintained on schedule?

Has the stormwater management system outlived its shelf life?

With so much focus on what’s going up on the surface, is there any thought of what is happening underneath?

That ministers and the city’s guardians are now talking about the need for utility and underground mapping is yet again testimony that we are a reactive not proactive society.

Meanwhile, are corruption, bureaucracy, incompetence and sheer laziness the root causes of the city’s woes – an accumulation of problems and issues that culminated in tragic events?

That even something as elementary as patching potholes is a gargantuan task for DBKL makes one sceptical about its ability to address bigger concerns.

That in recent years several DBKL officers and staff – including a deputy director – have been charged and convicted of corruption gives food for thought as to the people holding the responsibility of running the city.

What is certain though is that it cannot be business as usual at DBKL.

Maimunah who just took over the reins on August 15 as Kuala Lumpur’s first woman mayor has her work cut out for her.

This incident must be the catalyst for change in doing things differently at the local government level. At the moment, the correct language is being spoken on how to move forward and prevent a repeat incident.

And if heads need to roll, so be it. – August 30, 2024

Terence Fernandez is group editor-in-chief of Big Boom Media which publishes Scoop

Maimunah Mohd Sharif had just been appointed as the new mayor of Kuala Lumpur. 

She came into the job with an impressive resume and of late, Anwar's new appointments of KSN, Auditor General, KL Mayor and soon PDRM have been a bout of fresh air to the public. With this latest development, her work has been cut out. 

Anwar has already started talking with his Thai counterpart. Something need be done of Kuala Lumpur. A plan must be put together fast. The need is immediate but it need to be budgetted into the next 5 Malaysia Plan budget. 

Bear in mind, Malaysia does not have the luxury of space or financial capacity to emulate Indonesia and change its capital elsewhere. Putrajaya is still a relatively new administrative centre. What was originally planned are still not developed yet.  

So much for Indonesian putting down Putrajaya on Tik Tok to brag aout their new capital, the global financial news have been reporting the development of Nusantara is now facing a snag.