23-04-2025
- Politics
- New Straits Times
Two cases of Petronas underground gas pipeline land encroachment detected in Pendang
ALOR STAR: The state government has alerted Petroliam Nasional Bhd (Petronas) of two encroachment incidents along the company's gas pipeline in Pendang district.
State Housing, Local Government and Health Committee chairman Mansor Zakaria said the encroachment involved the excavation of red soil along the Petronas gas pipeline in Kampung Padang Pusing and Kampung Sungai Jagung.
"Actually, the encroachment area is quite small; it's understood that villagers have been removing red earth from the site because there's red soil there — what they plan to do with it is unclear, possibly to build a house.
"I was informed by the Pendang District Office that there was excavation of red earth several years ago, but the gas pipeline is buried quite deep, more than (6.4m).
"Even so, we want to prevent any risks in case the digging continues over time and becomes dangerous.
"That's why we want Petronas to come in and inspect, cordon off the area, put up tape, and so on to ensure no further encroachments occurs," he told reporters after the state assembly sitting in Wisma Darul Aman today.
Earlier Tokai assemblyman Datuk Dr Mohd Hayati Othman asked if the state government has identified any encroachment along Petronas gas pipelines in the state, following the gas pipeline explosion in Putra Heights, Selangor, early this month.
On April 1, the underground gas pipeline explosion in Putra Heights saw flames shoot up more than 30m high, with temperatures reaching 1,000 degrees Celsius, taking nearly eight hours to be fully extinguished.
The incident affected 437 residential properties, including 81 that were completely destroyed, with the value of losses estimated at RM65.4 million.
Mansor said the state government has instructed Utiliti Infra Darul Aman (UIDA) to discuss with Petronas to remap the national oil company's gas pipeline routes in Kedah.
"Their (Petronas') pipeline system wasn't previously included in our (state government's) maps, so we've requested a remapping to ensure it is recorded in UIDA's mapping system.
"This is to ensure that for any future developments, the local authorities will be able to properly advise on the existence of a gas pipeline, meaning no heavy construction involving piling and similar work should be permitted," he said.
