Emergency motion to declassify Bukit Antarabangsa report

KUALA LUMPUR: The opposition will file an emergency motion in parliament to ask for the declassification of the Bukit Antarabangsa landslide report as the minister in charge has been silent on the matter.

Zuraida Kamaruddin (Ampang-PKR) said Works Minister Datuk Shaziman Abu Mansor (Tampin-BN) has been quiet on the issue and not made any statements as to the status of the landslide report.

Opposition MPs had asked the works ministry to reveal the report during the committee stage debate on Budget 2010.

However, Deputy Works Minister Datuk Yong Khoon Seng in his reply on Monday night (Nov 30) had merely said: "The cabinet had decided that the report was classified under the Official Secrets Act. So I cannot reveal it."

Charles Santiago (Klang-DAP) asked whether the government was protecting the people responsible for the tragedy by not releasing the report.

"What is the response from Suruhanjaya Perkhidmatan Air Negara (Span)? Span has a responsibility on this matter because they are the regulator for all water players in Malaysia.

"They (Span) should start an inquiry against the water player who was careless and did not keep to the stipulations as contractually required. Is the government protecting vested interest?" said Santiago at a press conference in parliament lobby today.

He suggested that if the federal government refused to declassify the report, the Selangor government should convene an emergency assembly sitting to present the report and officially release the document.

"This involves public safety and public interest. The state assembly should take a position and take responsibility to release the statement," said Santiago, who hoped the cabinet would choose to declassify the report.

Santiago said the report contained recommendations that were helpful in preventing landslides in the area.

"The minister can declassify the report. In not doing it, I think he is totally irresponsible. And by not coming to parliament yesterday, it also shows that he is trying to protect vested interest," said Santiago. - The Edge Financial Daily