Penang to focus on DOSH probe first as NGOs seek public inquiry into fatal landslide in Paya Terubong

Press conference by (from left) state exco H’ng Mooi Lye, MBPP engineering director Cheah Chin Kooi and mayor Datuk A. Rajendran, October 30, 2026. — Picture by Opalyn Mok

By Opalyn Mok

First Published: Friday, 30 Oct 2026 2:05 PM MYT

GEORGE TOWN, Oct 30 — The Penang state government will focus on the Department of Occupational Safety and Health’s (DOSH) investigation into the fatal Paya Terubong landslide before discussing calls for a state commission of inquiry.

State Local Government and Town and Country Planning Committee chairman H’ng Mooi Lye said a multi-agency meeting on November 2 would address the progress of the investigation and mitigation work at the site.

He said the state would need to know the results of investigation from DOSH first.

“The meeting will discuss the progress of the investigation, the status of the mitigation work and the follow-up action required,” he said in a press conference on updates regarding the landslide.

The meeting, to be chaired by H’ng, will be attended by representatives from DOSH, the Department of Minerals and Geoscience (JMG), the Department of Irrigation and Drainage (DID), the Public Works Department (PWD), the District and Land Office, Penang Island City Council (MBPP), the police and the Fire and Rescue Department.

Earlier today, 12 non-governmental organisations (NGOs) led by vice president of Consumers Association of Penang (CAP) Meenakshi Raman and Penang Hills Watch co-founder Kam Suan Pheng called for the state to establish a State Commission of Inquiry (SCI) into the Paya Terubong landslide tragedy.

They said the SCI is needed to get to the root of how the tragedy occurred, what approvals were given, whether safety measures were taken and if negligence was involved.

They also wanted the inquiry to examine whether laws and guidelines had been followed and make recommendations to prevent similar incidents.

They pointed to the state commission of inquiry established after the Granito landslide in Tanjung Bungah on October 21, 2017, which killed 11 people.

They said the commission had made recommendations on hillslope development and oversight, including legal action against those responsible for negligent acts and violations.

“Clearly, nine years later, all is not well and this needs to be fixed,” they said in a joint statement.

The 12 NGOs are Sahabat Alam Malaysia, CAP, Penang Hills Watch, Tanjung Bungah Residents Association, Jaringan Ekologi dan Iklim, Penang Heritage Trust, Penang Forum, Women’s Centre for Change, Aliran, ProtectKarpal Coalition, Agora Society and Persatuan Kejiranan Gelugor.

They also called on the state to withdraw what they described as a proposal in the draft Penang Structure Plan 2040 to permit development on hills above 76 metres or slopes steeper than 25 degrees.

They said they had objected to the proposals in their feedback to PlanMalaysia.

In the joint press conference with H’ng, MBPP mayor Datuk A. Rajendran said the authorities will wait for the DOSH investigation before drawing conclusions on whether there had been negligence.

“We should allow the investigation to be carried out before we can comment on that,” he said.

Meanwhile, H’ng said two of the six houses previously ordered to be evacuated, numbered 9 and 11, had been cleared for reoccupation.

MBPP had issued notices under Section 83 of the Street, Drainage and Building Act 1974 declaring four other houses — numbered 1, 3, 5 and 7 — unsafe for occupation.

“At present, four houses must be evacuated and the relevant notices have been issued.

“We cannot determine when residents can return to their homes without DOSH’s approval, as the department is still conducting its investigation,” he said.

In the landslide incident at about 8.36am on October 25, 73-year-old doctor Wong Kar Lin was killed after being buried in the landslide, which also affected his home.

His wife, Chang Mei Nuo, 68, and mother-in-law, Wong Poh Lim, who is in her 80s, managed to escape.

H’ng said DOSH had conducted an investigation at the scene on October 29 to determine the actual cause of the slope failure.

“The department is also expected to call all parties involved to obtain an accurate picture of the incident before further action is taken if there is evidence of negligence or failure to comply with legal provisions,” he said.

H’ng also said MBPP issued a notice to stop earthworks at the project site on October 25 under Section 70A of the Street, Drainage and Building Act 1974 (Act 133).

He said the developer and consultants were also directed to implement several immediate safety and mitigation measures to reduce the risk of a similar incident recurring.

“Among the measures required were to isolate the landslide area by installing safety barriers and evacuating the area at risk within 24 hours,” he said.

He said the developer was asked to control surface water flow by channelling runoff from the upper part of the slope through safe temporary drainage, as well as to inspect the existing drainage system for possible overflow or leaks.

H’ng added that exposed ground and slope surfaces must also be covered with geotextile or a suitable temporary protection system to reduce rainwater penetration into the soil.

“For the entire project site, the developer was directed to submit an inspection report within seven days, including a map of slopes at risk and a mitigation plan,” he said.

The developer was also asked to submit a revised Erosion and Sediment Control Plan (ESCP) based on current site conditions and implement temporary stabilisation measures in accordance with the assessment and instructions of a qualified engineer.

As for current mitigation work at the site, he said the developer had taken initial steps, including covering exposed slopes with geotextile to reduce rainwater penetration.

“In addition, a temporary bund has been built to divert water flowing from the upper part of the hill so that it does not overflow onto the slope, before being channelled into an open drain,” he said.

H’ng said MBPP had also issued a letter to the developer and consultants on October 26 requesting confirmation of the safety of the slope near the affected homes.

He said this confirmation was important to ensure that the slope’s safety was professionally assessed before any further decision was made concerning the residents’ homes.

When asked about claims that the slope was unstable and that stabilisation work had been carried out several times since 2018, Rajendran said the work was undertaken as a safety measure before any development began.

He said the work had to be carried out before road construction or other development work could start at the site.

“All development plans had also undergone assessment by several consultants and a checker, as well as scrutiny by the Hill Land Planning Permission Committee, which included MBPP, DOSH and JMG.

“All work was carried out based on the approved plans and the conditions set by the authorities,” he said.

H’ng said the state government was currently giving priority to temporary mitigation measures to prevent another landslide, particularly during heavy rain.

He also said welfare arrangements for affected residents, including assistance related to housing and accommodation, were being coordinated by Paya Terubong assemblyman Wong Hon Wai.

He said Wong was handling the matter with the developer to ensure that the welfare of the victims and affected residents was addressed.