KPKT plans to build memorial at Highland Towers site - Zuraida

KUALA LUMPUR: The Housing and Local Government Ministry (KPKT) plans to build a memorial at the site of the collapsed Highland Towers condominium, which has been left neglected for the last 27 years.

Its Minister, Zuraida Kamaruddin said the memorial, in remembrance of the tragic incident which killed 48 residents on Dec 11, 1993, would be equipped with a park and track.

“When I say park (as reported previously), people might have gotten the wrong idea that it will become an open area with facilities such as playgrounds.

“(Actually) it is not a recreational park, instead what we want to develop is a memorial surrounded by a small park and walking track,” she said before appearing as a guest on Bernama TV’s Ruang Bicara talkshow programme, titled Budget 2021: Inclusive and People-Centric, last night.

Zuraida said the development plan was still being scrutinised and the ministry was awaiting approval of an allocation of RM8.9 million for land acquisition from the Selangor government, which is expected to be completed at the end of this year.

She said the process to obtain agreement from the condominium unit owners had also been completed, with demolition and cleaning works set to begin once the allocation is approved by the Finance Ministry.

“We have met the owners to inform them about the land acquisition… the ownership (for the property) is by strata,” Zuraida said.

On Dec 11, 1993, one of the three Highland Towers condominium blocks in Taman Hillview, Ulu Klang collapsed in a tragedy that took 48 lives.

Zuraida was previously reported to have said that the Highland Towers would be demolished by June 2019, at the latest, but it was delayed due to problems tracking down the building owner and the land acquisition process.

-- BERNAMA