Two years before they can return home

CAMERON HIGHLANDS: It will be two years before the Orang Asli residents of Kampung Sungai Ruil can return to their settlement, after they were ordered to vacate following a landslide in October last year.

Deputy Rural and Regional Development Minister Datuk Rubiah Wang said in the meantime, all 89 residents from 17 families were placed at the Tenaga Nasional Bhd (TNB) quarters.

The rental of RM500 a month would be fully borne by the Orang Asli Development Department (Jakoa).

The families were housed at the Sungai Ruil community hall before being transferred to TNB quarters earlier this month.

The landslide, which occurred at 10.56am on Oct 12 last year, was determined to have been caused by broken underground pipes and heavy rain, especially at night.

Six houses and three motorcycles were damaged in the incident and the residents were instructed to vacate their homes.

Rubiah also said that the Public Works Department (JKR) was conducting a study before repair works on the slope commence.

The works will go on until November next year, she added.

“The work has not started because JKR is still assessing ground movement at the location. They are also assessing nearby areas, especially the ones close to large water tanks.

“So far, there has been no further soil movement in the area. Work to repair the slope is estimated to cost RM3.8mil,” she said after meeting the affected residents, reported BK.

Earlier, Rubiah witnessed the handing over of the agreement document for the Kampung Sungai Ruil water supply system improvement and repair project.

The project started in August 2022 at a cost of RM2.4mil under a Jakoa allocation.

She said the project was supposed to have been completed last November but the landslide had caused a delay. It was finally completed on Dec 19 last year.