'Sinking ground' affecting Megamall, major structures in Seberang Perai
Several structures in Seberang Prai Tengah and Seberang Prai Utara districts of Penang have been found to be sinking, prompting stakeholders to call for safety evaluations.
Checks by Malaysiakini found what is believed to be sinking ground in many of the structures, leaving a one-metre gap between the structural beams and the ground.
The structures affected include...
Several structures in Seberang Prai Tengah and Seberang Prai Utara districts of Penang have been found to be sinking, prompting stakeholders to call for safety evaluations.
Checks by Malaysiakini found what is believed to be sinking ground in many of the structures, leaving a one-metre gap between the structural beams and the ground.
The structures affected include Megamall Shopping Complex in Prai Jaya, Prai toll plaza along the Butterworth Outer Ring Road (BORR), Sungai Nyor toll plaza on the Butterworth-Kulim Expressway (BKE) and the Rest and Recreation (R&R) complex in Bagan Ajam on the BORR, which is located along the coastline in Butterworth.
Another large shopping complex in Bukit Mertajam, which was found with serious cracks on its walls and structures, was repaired by the owners of the building several years ago.
It was found that the popular Megamall appears to be among the more severely affected as the land had sunk more than one metre, especially on the back portion of the shopping complex.
Shop lots behind the Megamall were also found with the same problem, forcing shop owners to build steps from the road to reach their front door veranda.
The drainage system is also damaged.
Motorists met by Malaysiakini expressed concern, as roads around the mall were also sinking and one is hard pressed to find an even surface in the Prai Jaya project.
Ex-residents: Mall built on swampy land
Construction of the mall started after residents of Prye Estate and Kampung Teluk were relocated to longhouses in Seberang Jaya in 1997, and then to low-cost flats near the mall some years later.
The seven-storey building, which houses more than 100 commercial units including a cinema and anchor tenant Pacific Hypermarket, started operating in 2000.
Former Prye Estate residents told Malaysiakini that the Megamall was built on swampy land.
It is learnt that the mall at Bukit Mertajam, which has undergone repairs, was built on a former paddy field while the toll plazas in Sungai Nyor and Prai were built on mangrove forest and muddy land, respectively.
The R&R complex in Bagan Ajam is located along the coastline in the north channel separating the mainland and island.
Like many patrons of the Megamall, Ramli Ismail, 53, was shocked to learn of the sinking ground and feared for the safety of fellow shoppers.
“The innocent public is unaware whether patronising the mall is safe or not and the relevant authorities need to conduct a thorough investigation into the matter immediately to establish the safety of shoppers.
“The relevant authorities have to act before any unforeseen incident happens and also assure the shoppers of their safety if there is no risk and danger to them,” Ramli said.
Siti Mariam Nordin, 49, a factory worker from Tasek Gelugor who has been shopping at the mall for the last 10 years, wants the relevant authorities to spring into action.
“The authorities should not pass the buck around and jump into action to prevent any untoward incidents, not only here, but also at the toll plazas and the Bagan Ajam R&R. It is important for the authorities to ensure the safety of the public,” she said.
‘Construction started before soil settled’
Seberang Prai City Councilor (MBSP) David Marshel believes the problem started when developers commenced construction before the soil settled.
“By procedure, the developers should wait for two years for the land to compact before starting the project as such problems arise when they build huge structures on soft land.
“The local council cannot take the developer to task if the structures don’t show defects within two years. Now the Public Works Department (PWD) has to conduct a check on the soil to establish the stability of the ground,” he said when contacted.
MBSP will take the necessary action to ensure the safety of the structure and the shoppers, Marshel added.
Malaysiakini has contacted the PWD for comment.
Meanwhile, Sahabat Alam Malaysia research officer Mageswari Sangaralingam urged for an inspection to check for structural damage, before it is too late.
“The authorities should determine the cause of the subsidence and carry out remediation work as soon as possible before the situation worsens.
"Urgent inspection of the buildings’ safety is needed to assess whether there is structural damage.
“We do not want a disaster to happen before action is taken,” Mageswari added.
