Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng said following The Star’s front page report on the potential risks, monitors would be placed at high-risk areas.

“Of course, in any hilly area there is going to be things coming down, but we want to make sure it is minimised.

“Nevertheless, we have been monitoring. If there are new hotspots, specialist engineers will give us advice on what steps to take,” he said at a press conference in Komtar today.

Lim said the committee would include slopes and geotechnical expert Dr Gue See Sew and irrigation consultant Lim Chow Hock, who was former Drainage and Irrigation Department deputy director-general.

The committee will be headed by State Public Works Committee Chairman Lim Hock Seng.

Lim added that the State Hill Land Working Committee, headed by State Secretary Farizan Darus, would continue to monitor illegal hill clearing.

Lim thanked The Star for highlighting the potential risks, but questioned why matters pertaining to Penang were played up.

“We are puzzled. While there are states with stadiums crashing down, excess logging in Kelantan and many other environmental problems in other states… why are we always in the limelight.

“But be rest assured, Penang has never seen severe landslides before, and we will ensure it stays that way,” he said.

The Star’s “Hazard in the hills” report today stated that the Public Works Department had identified 2,576 “dangerous slopes” along federal roads.

Some 1,000 roads have been tagged as “most dangerous” by the Works Ministry.

According to the report, besides Penang, other “dangerous slopes” are located in Cameron Highlands, Lojing, Hulu Terengganu, Hulu Perak, Ampang, Ipoh, Kuala Lumpur, Kundasang, Sandakan, Kapit and Miri.