Developers must now submit geotechnical reports for all development projects in Kuala Lumpur (KL).

The news was announced by the Mayor of Kuala Lumpur, Maimunah Mohd Sharif, on Sep. 1, Malaysian media New Straits Times and The Star reported.

A geotechnical report is a comprehensive document that examines the geological and soil conditions at a specific site while highlighting any potential problematic conditions, according to Douglas Partners, a geotechnical engineering consultant firm based in Australia.

The requirement for geotechnical reports would be enforced immediately.

It would affect applications that have been approved, development orders that have yet to be issued, applications that are still pending, as well as future applications.

Sinkholes

The matter of a geotechnical report was raised after the search-and-rescue (SAR) operation for a 48-year-old Indian woman who fell into a sinkhole in Kuala Lumpur was called off after nine days.

The female tourist fell into an eight-metre-deep sinkhole in KL, after a section of the sidewalk caved in at Jalan Masjid India on Aug. 23.

Two other sinkholes appeared in KL on Aug. 26 and 28.

Maimunah has spoken up in defence of KL, saying that the city is still safe.

The mayor said that it would take three to six months to repair the sinkholes, as it required a detailed study.

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