Ministry gets cracking to breathe new life into site of 1993 condo tragedy

The abandoned condominiums at the site of the Highland Towers tragedy in Hulu Kelang where an entire apartment block collapsed in 1993 will soon be cleared to make way for new projects that will benefit the local community, the housing and local government ministry said today.

In a statement, the ministry said it had applied for an RM8.9 million allocation from the Economic Planning Unit in the Prime Minister’s Department for a takeover of the land from the state government.

“”Demolition works on the buildings and clearance of the site can only be done after land compensation payment has been made.

“Relevant projects on the Highland Towers site will take place to optimise the use of existing land more effectively for the benefit of locals in the vicinity,” it said.

The collapse of the block, which killed 48 residents, was blamed on land clearing at two nearby housing project sites and a badly constructed retaining wall that was not properly maintained.

The ministry said the site, which was left abandoned for the next 28 years, eventually became associated with a range of social problems including drug activities which worried those living in the vicinity.

In the statement issued after a visit to the area by Housing and Local Government Minister Zuraida Kamaruddin, it said the redevelopment and beautification works would breathe new life into the site and create a more comfortable environment in addition to ensuring the safety and well-being of the surrounding residents.