Nearly 3,000 Sq Km Of Landslide-prone Areas Mapped - Arthur

KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 20 (Bernama) -- Nearly 3,000 square kilometres (km²)  of landslide-prone areas nationwide have been mapped as part of the government’s efforts to strengthen slope management and ensure safer development planning, the Dewan Rakyat was told today.

Natural Resources and Environmental Sustainability Minister Datuk Seri Arthur Joseph Kurup said the mapping of some 2,966km² was conducted by the Department of Minerals and Geoscience Malaysia (JMG), covering highland areas with active agricultural activities.

He said the areas mapped included Cameron Highlands, covering 475km², and Kundasang, spanning 370km², with the results serving as a strategic reference for planning early prevention measures, slope maintenance, and determining sites for the installation of landslide early warning systems.

“The mapping results have been used to prepare the Slope Risk and Hazard Map (PBRC), which is shared with agencies such as PlanMalaysia (the Town and Country Planning Department) and the Agriculture Department to support safer and more organised and sustainable land-use planning,” he said during a question-and-answer session.

He said this in response to a question from Datuk Seri Tuan Ibrahim Tuan Man (PN-Kubang Kerian) on the proposed implementation of comprehensive mapping of monoculture plantations by gradient to assess the risk of mudslides and landslides and to safeguard critical catchment areas, drawing lessons from the West Sumatra tragedy in November 2025.

According to Arthur, two types of PBRC have been developed, namely linear-based and area-based, with the Public Works Department (JKR) responsible for linear-based PBRC for federal roads in the peninsula, while JMG prepared area-based PBRC for areas other than roads and highways.

He said the ministry had also strengthened its control mechanism through the implementation of environmental impact assessments for agricultural and plantation activities classified as prescribed activities under the Environmental Quality (Environmental Impact Assessment) Order 2015.

In addition, he said the JMG and the Department of Environment (DOE) had played an active role by providing technical feedback at the local authorities’ one-stop centres.

Responding to Tuan Ibrahim’s supplementary question on the control and enforcement mechanisms for logging and land exploration on slopes, Arthur said that compliance with terrain geological mapping and PBRC guidelines was mandatory before planning permission could be granted.

“At the same time, we need to make it mandatory to obtain EIA (Environmental Impact Assessment) approval for any opening of agricultural areas and plantations exceeding 20 hectares,” he said.

Meanwhile, in response to a supplementary question from Datuk Adnan Abu Hassan (BN-Kuala Pilah) on the effectiveness of early warning systems in landslide hotspot areas, Arthur said the ministry, through JMG, had installed 34 early warning systems equipped with sirens and strobe lights in high-risk locations.

He said 41 community-based geological disaster risk management programmes had also been implemented to strengthen residents’ preparedness through training, evacuation plans, and emergency response, with real-time monitoring alerts sent to the District Disaster Management Committee to ensure prompt action could be taken to prevent slope failure.

--BERNAMA