PARLIAMENT | The government has been urged to stop allowing new housing projects in areas close to gas pipelines.
Khoo Poay Tiong (Harapan-Kota Melaka), in his speech at the Dewan Rakyat today, said such a move is necessary to prevent any untoward incident, like what had happened in the Putra Heights tragedy on April 1.
"There has to be a stricter condition set on new projects, so that they cannot be constructed near these pipelines," he said when debating a report on the incident tabled by the Parliament Special Select Committee (PSSC) on Infrastructure, Transportation and Communication.
Khoo pointed to a report by the Occupational Safety and Health Department, which showed the gas pipeline at Putra Heights had failed after cyclic loading caused its joint to move by 15.9cm.
"This clearly shows that the gas pipeline had a significant movement in the ground before it finally failed.
"My question to Petronas Gas is, as they always said that they conduct periodical checks, how could they miss such a significant (pipe) movement?"
The DAP leader said he is concerned because Petronas Gas had also installed an underground gas pipeline through a residential area in his constituency several years ago.
Despite objections from residents, Khoo claimed the company had assured the people that they had nothing to worry about.
"They said even in the case of a leakage, there won't be any explosion. But now, an explosion has happened.
"So, I want to ask the government to work together with the PSSC to implement all the suggestions being proposed to ensure safety," he said.
11 suggestions
Earlier, PSSC chairperson Yusuf Abd Wahab (GPS-Tanjung Manis), when presenting a report on the incident, made 11 suggestions to the government.
They include conducting integrity testing on all pipelines' isolation valves, a review of its Geohazard Risk Assessment, increasing the frequency of pipeline patrolling, and tightening the procedures for development approval at gas pipeline areas.
Other suggestions include increasing the number of detection devices for monitoring purposes and enhancing emergency response plan preparedness training.
Ahmad Yunus Hairi (PN -Kuala Langat) in his debate speech urged authorities to also look into possibilities that the soil movement at Putra Heights had been contributed by human activities in the area. - Mkini
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