Highland Towers to be cleared, area to be turned into park, public area

Datuk Zuraida Kamaruddin visiting the Highland Towers site, which will be cleared and demolished to make way for something useful for the people. - LOW BOON TAT/The Star.

THE Highland Towers site in Ampang will be cleared and the two remaining blocks demolished to make way for a recreational park or a useful public area.

Housing and Local Government Minister Datuk Zuraida Kamaruddin said the Finance Ministry has approved RM8.9mil of Federal Government funds to acquire the 0.8ha area from the state government.

Upon the completion of the clearing and demolition works, she said the land would then be developed by the owner of the land near it into something useful for the people.

Zuraidah said with the finances for the acquisition sorted, the site clearing works can start.

“The Ampang Jaya Municipal Council and Selangor Land and Mines Department will help with the matter, ” she added.

Zuraidah said the land acquisition was a proud achievement, as the issue had been outstanding for the last 28 years.

“Since the collapse of Block 3, its remnants have been left behind and the two other blocks abandoned. It has become a hangout for drug addicts as well as a location for crime, threatening the safety of the surrounding residents, ” she said.

“With the current progress, I am hopeful the area will be put to better use, ” added Zuraida.

On Dec 11,1993, one of the three Highland Towers blocks collapsed, killing 48 people in the nation’s worst housing tragedy.

It was determined that the earth gave way after 10 days of rainfall, causing the landslide.

Residents of the two other blocks were subsequently evacuated.

There were plans to repair the two blocks in 1995, but checks revealed that both structures were unstable and that demolition was the only option.