I READ with some concern your reports (”Landslide threat in Bukit Tinggi” and “Tremors a regular occurrence” — NST, Jan 8).

Geologist Mustaffa Kamal Shuib said that there was a fault line running below Kuala Lumpur which is parallel to the one in Bukit Tinggi where repeated tremors had been felt. He said that if the Bukit Tinggi line was reactivated, Kuala Lumpur’s fault line could be reactivated, too.

My concern stems from recent reports about various development projects taking place in and around Kuala Lumpur.

Most of these projects involve highrise buildings such as the project being planned in Jalan Medang Serai, Bukit Bandaraya.

As another geologist said in the same article, it is important to consider the geological area before developing highrise buildings to avoid disaster. Places like Bukit Bandaraya are located on hillslopes which have been levelled for development — similar to the situation in Bukit Tinggi.

Could the fault line underneath Kuala Lumpur have a greater impact on such places and trigger landslides?

CHANDRAN, Kuala Lumpur

Source: NST – January 10, 2008