Tanah Rata floods not caused by bypass project, says JKR

Heavy rain caused flooding at the Golden Hills housing estate and near Mardi campus in Tanah Rata, Cameron Highlands on Friday. The flash floods and landslides were not due to the bypass road project, the public works department (JKR) confirmed. The project is still in the design and assessment stage with no physical construction completed yet, apart from regular road maintenance.

Concerns over flash floods and landslides following the rain led to calls for temporarily halting the bypass road project. Preliminary checks showed the flooding at Mardi park and public fields happened on secondary roads not part of the main project road alignment. However, a small landslide did occur at Jalan Tengkolok, an area under routine maintenance by the project contractor.

Immediate debris clearing was done to ensure road safety and smooth traffic flow. The works ministry treats any concerns about slope safety, geological conditions, drainage, and disaster risks with utmost seriousness. The project's implementation depends on satisfying all necessary assessments, approvals, technical conditions, including the Environmental Impact Assessment, Social Impact Assessment, geotechnical requirements, and local authority permits. Physical construction will begin only after meeting all these requirements.