A Facebook user made a sharp comment that in Malaysia, especially during the year end, when the monsoon strikes and there are thunderstorms and flash floods, tragedies usually occur that cause damage to property and also people losing their lives or suffering injuries and trauma.

But Malaysians never seem to learn and now concerned environmental groups have come out strongly to say that the Batang Kali landslide that has so far claimed 24 lives is the tip of the iceberg for more disasters that they predict will take place.

These groups state that the area around Batang Kali, Bukit Tinggi, Genting Highlands and along the Karak Highway is being overdeveloped with shopping malls, condominiums and subject to legal and illegal logging.

They claim that absolute mayhem is taking place in this region with legal and illegal clearing for farming and agriculture with no regard for sustainable development and the desecration of nature will cause backlashes such as in the Batang Kali tragedy.

These environmental groups say the use of corrupt practices and the greed for quick profits have created a crass commercialization of the area which is already showing profound and mostly negative effects on the region.

While the Selangor state government has come out to deny any wrongdoing, the calls for an independent panel of experts to assess the situation has been made by these social activists as they believe the region is not a built environment but overbuilt.

-THE MALAYSIA VOICE