LAND matters are holding up the scheduled demolition of the Highland Towers and its redevelopment  into a memorial park.

Housing and Local Government minister Zuraida Kamaruddin said it was now up to the state government to approve the takeover of land and enable the work to commence.

“I have asked for it to be done latest by the end of 2019. The demolition is under the Ampang Jaya Municipal Council (MPAJ). Hopefully it will be done,” Zuraida told The Malaysian Insight.

Residents of Taman Sri Ukay Hillview in Ampang, Selangor, had questioned when Zuraida would make good her promise to tear down the apartment blocks and turn the area into a park.

They said she kept making statements about the demolition but nothing was done.

Zuraida had previously said that the two condominium blocks, which were abandoned 26 years ago after a landslide disaster, would be demolished in June.

The residents said if the demolition is not going to take place this year, it’s only fair that they are informed about it.

Zuraida assured the residents today that the MPAJ would keep them posted.

She said all issues pertaining to Highland Towers had been settled and that plans would proceed to turn the land into a park in memory of those who died in the 1993 tragedy.

The redevelopment is funded by MPAJ, and the Highland Towers developer has pledged to contribute RM2 million.

On December 11, 1993, one of the three blocks of the Highland Towers condominium in Taman Hillview, Ulu Klang, collapsed, killing 48 people and injuring hundreds more.

It was reported that the soil had given way after 10 days of rainfall, which caused a landslide that toppled the block.

Residents in the remaining two blocks were evacuated immediately after the collapse.

The site has been vacant since. – December 5, 2019.