This article first appeared in The Edge Financial Daily, on November 24, 2015.

KUALA LUMPUR: Twenty-one years after the Highland Towers tragedy in Ulu Klang, Selangor, former Highland Towers Residents’ Association president Dr Benjamin George thinks it is time the site is redeveloped.

George, 87, said the remaining condominium towers, unoccupied since the residents were evacuated after the collapse of Block 1 in 1993, have grown dilapidated and become an eyesore.

“So many years have passed. Some of the young people don’t even know what happened there all those years ago,” he told The Malaysian Insider.

He said it doesn’t matter what is built on the land, it would just be good to see a new development there.

“In Hong Kong, there are hill slope developments and there are no problems. That is because it is done properly. There are ways to develop a hill slope properly,” he said.

George said the prospective developer would need to ensure that the redevelopment of the Highland Towers site is carried out properly to assure nearby residents of their safety and that there would not be a repeat of the tragedy.

However, regardless of whether the site will be redeveloped or not, George thinks the remaining towers should be demolished.

Meanwhile, Ampang Jaya Municipal Council (MPAJ) said it has not received a development plan for the site.

“The land is still owned by Arab Malaysian Banking Group (AmBank),” said MPAJ public relations officer Norhayati Ahmad.

“We are meeting them next month to discuss the security and cleanliness of the site.”

On Dec 11, 1993, a landslide led to the collapse of Block 1 of Highland Towers, killing 48 people and causing Blocks 2 and 3 to be evacuated.

Among those killed were former deputy prime minister Tun Musa Hitam’s son, Carlos Rashid, and his wife Rosina Abu Bakar.

In 2013, The Star reported that AmBank, the owner of Highland Towers, was undertaking a tender exercise for the sale of bungalow lots and residential units in Highland Towers.

AmBank did not respond to The Malaysian Insider’s queries. — The Malaysian Insider.