KUALA LUMPUR – Authorities have issued an eviction notice to the operator of Gua Lepak foodcourt, which operates within a 400-million-year-old limestone cave in Gombak, Selangor.
Gombak District and Land Office director Nor Azlina Abdul Aziz confirmed the decision following an investigation into the eatery, as reported by The Star.
She affirmed that the food court is situated on Selangor government land and stated that an eviction notice would be issued under Section 425 of the National Land Code 1965.
“The cave and its surroundings are gazetted as Batu Caves reserve.
“The Gombak District and Land Office can confirm that the operator has never applied for permission from any local authority (the office or Selayang Municipal Council) to carry out activities there,” she was quoted as saying.
“No approval or permission was given to the operator to occupy and carry out activities at the site.”
She further explained that Section 425 addresses unlawful occupation on state, reserved or mining land, stipulating that any person occupying or erecting a building, clearing, ploughing, digging, or cultivating on such land without lawful authority is committing an offence.
Violators could face a fine not exceeding RM500,000 or imprisonment for up to five years or both.
Yesterday, the Minerals and Geoscience Department said that it was not consulted by any developer or local authorities regarding the technical review of the food courts’s development, situated in a sensitive cave area.
Located in Bukit Batu Caves, Bolton Industrial Park, Gombak in Selangor, the eatery has garnered attention due to reported safety concerns, particularly the absence of fire exits, and environmental issues.
The department’s director, Datuk Zamri Ramli, said that they had not received any requests from business operators or local authorities for input on the eatery’s technical aspects.
He highlighted the risks associated with the restaurant’s operation without the department’s review, including geological disasters, vandalism, disruption of endemic biodiversity, and threats to the Gombak-Hulu Langat Geopark’s conservation and sustainability.
“Typically, developers submit physical development proposals to the local authority for projects near limestone caves. The local authority then requests a technical review from us.
“In addition, developers undertaking projects within limestone cave areas must adhere to the Minerals and Geoscience Department’s guidelines delineating danger zones.
“Furthermore, geopark developments should prioritise community wellbeing and economic growth, aligning with conservation, education and sustainable development principles,” he said in a statement.
Zamri recommended the adoption of the National Geopark Development Plan 2021-2030 and the National Geopark Implementation Plan, endorsed during the 42nd National Physical Planning Council Meeting, as standard practices for all geopark developments. – March 15, 2024