Lessons still not learnt from Highland Towers tragedy

Residents began to move into the Highland Towers condominium at Taman Hillview in Hulu Klang seven years after it was built in 1974. It was a highly sought-after property as it was located on a hill and surrounded by forests and cool air.

On Dec 11, 1993, Block 1 of the condominium collapsed at exactly 1.35pm.

The 12-storey building came crashing down in less than five minutes, taking with it the lives of 48 residents. Only three victims were brought out of the rubble but one of them, Japanese citizen Shizue Nakajima,50, died at Kuala Lumpur Hospital (HKL).

The only survivors were Indonesian domestic worker Umi Rashidah Khoruman, 22, and her 18-month-old daughter, Nur Hamidah Najib.

Today marks the 20th anniversary of the tragedy. But despite two decades passing, most local Facebook, Twitter and other social media users believed that the Malaysian authorities and property developers had yet to take heed from the Highland Towers mishap.

A Twitter user said, for example, despite the 20-year-old tragedy, there are still incidents like stadiums and hospitals collapsing.

On Facebook, many complained that greed and the alleged irresponsible attitude of local authorities who work hand in hand with developers in building hillside dwellings are among the reasons that such incidents still happen.

Apart from that, rapid development also has taken its toll on the environment. The failure to conduct maintenance work on hill slopes poses a lot of danger – there could be another tragedy waiting to happen and claim innocent lives.

Astro AWANI had also ran a programme called ‘First Page’ on May 14, with its first episode featured the Highland Towers tragedy where ex-residents, officials and a journalist shared their compelling stories, on-the-ground experience as well as their views on the devastation.