AMPANG Jaya Municipal Council (MPAJ) has secured a court ruling allowing it to proceed with action on the remaining Highland Towers buildings.
The decision clears the previous legal hurdle and paves the way for the long-abandoned blocks in Taman Sri Ukay, Ampang Jaya, Selangor, to be demolished.
MPAJ deputy president Hasrolnizam Shaari said the Ampang Magistrate’s Court had allowed the council to continue the process of removing the nuisance posed by the structures.
“This means they can be demolished,” he said.
Hasrolnizam said MPAJ had sought a court order to address the long-standing issue involving the abandoned structures.
The council initially brought the matter to Ampang Magis-trate’s Court, before being directed to pursue the appropriate legal process through the High Court.
He said the matter was subsequently referred back to the Ampang Magistrate’s Court, which earlier this month allowed the council to proceed.
Hasrolnizam said MPAJ would now coordinate the next steps with parties linked to the site.
“We will expedite implementation and are targeting demolition to take place this year.
“We need a clear and correct legal approach so that any further action is in line with the law.
“We also want to ensure that no issues arise later,” he said during the Ampang Jaya Car-Free Day at Laman Rekreasi Tasik Tambahan.
The court decision, he said, provided a clearer pathway for action to be taken without creating further legal complications.
Hasrolnizam said discussions would involve representatives of the remaining unit owners and parties linked to land ownership.
He added MPAJ would brief the relevant parties before demolition plans were submitted and considered through the approval process.
“We are now in the process of coordinating further action, especially with the parties that will manage the demolition.”
The demolition method had yet to be determined and would be subject to further technical review, he said.
“The discussions should not take a long time because the matter is now clear to all parties, as all involved have a common objective to resolve this,” he said.
Hasrolnizam said MPAJ’s objective was to resolve long-standing nuisance issues associated with the abandoned structures and improve conditions at the site.
“The parties comprise two groups, namely those linked to insolvency matters and those involving units owned by the developer,” he added.
The parties involved were prepared to proceed with clearing the site, including demolition of the two remaining blocks, he said.
The two remaining blocks have stood abandoned since the Highland Towers tragedy in December 1993, when one block collapsed, killing 48 people.
In July last year, MPAJ said it would seek a High Court ruling after legal issues involving ownership of the site complicated efforts to obtain approval to demolish the remaining blocks.
At the time, the council said demolition of the remaining blocks was estimated to cost between RM6mil and RM7mil.
