SOME OF THE BUILDINGS ON THE HIGHLANDS WERE PUT UP WITHOUT THE AUTHORITIES' APPROVAL, SOME "WERE NOT EVEN SUPPOSED TO BE THERE."

Kundasang: All hillside developments here should go through the proper channels for geological assessment before being built to ensure the safety of the facilities.

State Tourism, Culture and Environment Assistant Minister, Datuk Ellron Alfred Angin lamented that some of the buildings on the highlands here were put up without the authorities' approval, adding some "were not even supposed to be there."

"Not all the developers sought advice and consultancy, for instance from the Minerals and Geoscience Department Malaysia (JMG), before starting to construct their buildings.

"I don't have the data but you can see it with your own eyes that some of the structures could have been done more nicely had they consulted the relevant authorities.

Ellron said some of the developers even found themselves in a ditch when, after ignoring the need for geological consultancy, they could not complete their projects.

"I was made to understand that there were developers who couldn't finish their developments on hillsides because each time they tried to do something the land will slip, preventing them from going on with the construction.

"We urge all the developers or landowners who want to develop the land, no matter for agriculture or infrastructures here, to refer with the authorities like the Ranau District Council or the JMG Malaysia," he said.

He said the JMG would provide free consultancy to government agencies whilst private sector developers would have to submit the geological study on their project site, which is done by their own team of geological researchers, to the department for review.

JMG Malaysia Deputy Director-General (Operations), Hj Mohammed Hatta Abd Karim said they could, with the availability of a development masterplan, make the developments more attractive.

"And maybe some sites you don't even need to develop (heavily)  just let nature as it is," he said.

Ellron said it was important for highland and hillside developers here to consider seeking geological consultancy to, first and foremost, ensure the safety of future guests.

"When you force something on nature, nature will retaliate É that's why one of the purposes of the seminar is to collect data and present it to all the stakeholders to raise their awareness.

"Probably after the seminar, which is inaugurally held in Sabah, we will have to come up with a guideline to make hillside developments more organised to prevent untoward incidents that could lead to loss of lives," he said.