#Update* Bukit Antarabangsa landslide report declassification needs Works Minister’s approval

 SHAH ALAM: The Selangor state government’s move to release the Bukit Antarabangsa landslide report has to be withdrawn as its declassification needs the Works Minister’s approval.

Selangor Mentri Besar Tan Sri Abdul Khalid Ibrahim had on Nov 18 said he could invoke the Mentri Besar's power under Section 2C of the Official Secrets Act 1972 to declassify the report. The state had also instructed the Ampang Jaya Municipal Council (MPAJ) to make copies of the report for sale to the public at cost beginning today (Nov 23).

“The state has written to the Works Ministry to inform it of its decision and requested that the ministry declassify the report in the name of public interest. However, the ministry claimed it has no jurisdiction to decide on the matter as the classification was done by the Minister. Therefore the state has no choice but to withhold its decision to make the report public,” he said in a statement this evening. 

He added that the Federal Government has also since challenged the state’s decision and cautioned it not to declassify the documents.

A notice issued by the MPAJ president this morning is being displayed at the lobby of the MPAJ office stating that the report will not be released until the Public Works Department director-general or the Works Minister approves the report’s declassification as specified under the Official Secrets’ Act 1972.

Khalid however, said the federal government should allow the release of the report as Bukit Antarabangsa residents have the right to know the details on the results of the investigations into the December 2008 landslide tragedy which killed five.

He added that the contents are crucial to public discourse in the establishment of regulations for hill slope developments in the state.

“The landslide on Dec 6 last year was a tragedy but it will be a bigger tragedy if the Federal Government fails to be accountable and take responsible actions to protect the safety of the people. The state is committed to act in the interest of the people of Selangor and will do the necessary for that interest to be upheld,” he said.

Bukit Antarabangsa landslide report not released