Muhammad Zulsyamini Sufian Suri
IPOH: The limestone notch at Gunung Kanthan in Chemor, which houses the Dhamma Sakyamuni Cave Monastery, is in a critical and unsafe condition, with a risk of collapse at any time, a geoheritage expert has warned.
Emeritus Professor Datuk Dr Ibrahim Komoo said the formation was unsuitable for permanent habitation as it contained suspended limestone blocks without firm support.
He said the structure was not a cave in the conventional sense, but a natural formation created by the continuous dissolution of limestone over tens of thousands of years.
This process had weakened the natural cement holding the limestone blocks together through water seepage, increasing the risk of collapse.
“The condition at Gunung Kanthan is critical because limestone blocks are hanging without firm support.
“These internal processes cannot be seen with the naked eye. From a geological engineering perspective, it is impossible to predict precisely when a collapse will occur or guarantee the safety of the limestone structure,” he said when met here.
Ibrahim said, in general, all cavities beneath limestone hills, including caves and notches, were unsafe for permanent habitation due to the risk of roof or structural collapse.
He said the collapse process could take a long time, but the exact timing remained unpredictable because changes within the rock structure were ongoing.
“Water seepage, particularly during heavy rain, can weaken the natural cement within limestone hills, making existing cracks increasingly unstable.
“Water entering rock fissures can also act as a lubricant, allowing limestone blocks to shift more easily and increasing the likelihood of collapse,” he said.
He said collapses could occur during heavy rain or even minor tremors caused by quarry blasting or earthquakes.
Ibrahim said the notch at Gunung Kanthan had been formed by changes in groundwater levels, with slightly acidic water continuously dissolving the limestone over tens of thousands of years.
He said the formation had two layers of notches, separated by about five to six metres, while vertical cracks along the limestone walls showed evidence of previous collapses.
“I would not advise anyone to build a house or establish permanent accommodation in any cave anywhere in the world. Caves are not places for people to live,” he said.
He said existing guidelines prohibited house construction within a distance of less than twice the height of a limestone cliff.
However, he said some parties had sought to revise the requirement to 1.5 times the cliff height.
The issue surrounding Gunung Kanthan has drawn renewed attention following controversy over the eviction and threatened demolition of the Dhamma Sakyamuni Cave Monastery to make way for quarrying activities.
The developments also prompted the Human Rights Commission of Malaysia (Suhakam) to conduct a site visit and investigation into the matter recently.
In a separate development, a YTL Cement Bhd spokesman said Gunung Kanthan had been designated for cement production for 63 years, as part of the 45 limestone hill clusters in the Kinta Valley.
He said the limestone hill land had been legally leased by the state government to Associated Pan Malaysia Cement (APMC), a subsidiary of YTL Cement, with the formal endorsement and support of the federal government.
The spokesman said limestone karst formations carried inherent geological risks, including rockfalls and structural instability, requiring careful management, particularly in inhabited areas or near quarry operations.
“Geological assessments of the compartments at Gunung Kanthan have identified several safety concerns, including cracks and evidence of previous rockfalls.
“Although the Dhamma Sakyamuni Monastery receives relatively few visitors compared with public cave temples such as Sam Poh Tong in Ipoh, safety concerns cannot be taken lightly when lives are involved.
“Should an unfortunate incident occur, particularly one involving loss of life at the monastery as a result of quarry operations, APMC would remain responsible as the landowner, regardless of whether occupation of the area is legal or otherwise,” he said.