A video showing water gushing from a hole that emerged on a road in Kuala Lumpur on 23 September has ignited social media in Malaysia. However, city authorities are working to debunk claims that this is yet another sinkhole in KL. The incident occurred at the intersection of Jalan Sultan Ismail and Jalan Raja Chulan, a major artery in the Malaysian capital, and was initially reported as a sinkhole by social media users.
Background
On 23 September, the Malay Mail reported on a 10-second video clip that showed water pouring out of a crack in the road. The road was cordoned off, and emergency services were present at the scene. The area appeared to be a slip road connecting Jalan Sultan Ismail to Jalan Raja Chulan. The initial social media post titled “yet another sinkhole” led many users to speculate that Kuala Lumpur, like Jakarta, is sinking. Some even suggested moving the capital to Borneo, albeit in a tongue-in-cheek manner.
It’s not a sinkhole
Contrary to the initial reports, the Malay Mail clarified that the “sinkhole” was actually a burst water pipe. The KL Command and Control Centre (KLCCC) highlighted the incident at 6:30 am on 23 September on its social media accounts. Subsequent posts showed the arrival of repair personnel from utility company Air Selangor by 9:24 am, and by 2:20 pm, repair works were underway.
Except that time it was a sinkhole
Kuala Lumpur has had a recent and tragic history with sinkholes. In August 2024, an 8m-deep sinkhole opened along Jalan Masjid India, swallowing an unfortunate passing tourist. Despite a nine-day search, rescue personnel were unable to recover the tourist’s remains. During the search, KL’s mayor sought to reassure residents that the city was safe, but two additional holes were reported in that period. One appeared within sight of the original sinkhole, and the other was a collapsed drain.
Despite the new incident not being a sinkhole, some connections might concern residents. One of the suggested causes of the original Jalan Masjid India sinkhole was a burst pipe. This speculation was partly due to a 10m-deep sinkhole that opened up in KL in 2014, which was caused by a burst water pipe. As of Monday, 5:20 pm, the slip road was still fully closed, and repair works were ongoing.
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Kuala Lumpur Mayor Datuk Seri Maimunah Mohd Sharif has dismissed claims that the depression in the road was a sinkhole. The Kuala Lumpur City Hall’s KL Command and Control Centre (KLCCC) confirmed a burst pipe incident near the Raja Chulan MRT station. When contacted, a Kuala Lumpur City Hall spokesperson said, “An Air Selangor burst pipe. Please refer to Air Selangor for further enquiries.”
Works are ongoing to repair the burst pipe at the slip road in Jalan Sultan Ismail, according to Pengurusan Air Selangor Sdn Bhd.
