AMPANG, Dec 14 ― Housing and Local Government Minister Zuraida Kamaruddin hoped the Selangor government could hasten its approval for the acquisition of the Highland Towers site for redevelopment after its 26 years of abandonment.

She said her ministry only needed Selangor Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Amirudin Shari’s approval for the process to begin.

"We have gone through everything, we have gone to the state government to acquire the land so that we can give it to MPAJ, so then we can demolish the building.

"It was supposed to be announced at the end of this year. So I am pushing the MB to make the approval quick and give us the figure so that we can acquire the land.

"We want it to happen by the end of 2019 so that we can have a good new year,” she told reporters after the launching of Taman Dagang Community Hub here today.

Zuraida was previously reported as saying that the Highland Towers would be demolished by June 2019 at the latest.

Last year, the Ampang MP created the Highland Towers Redevelopment Committee under her ministry comprising experts and representatives from 10 major stakeholders, including federal, state and local authorities to research, analyse, evaluate, monitor and execute the proposed redevelopment process of the site in Ulu Klang, Selangor.

There was a suggestion to redevelop the strategic location as a recreation park besides as well as 50 units of detached homes.

On December 11, 1993, one of the three Highland Towers condominiums in Hulu Kelang collapsed in a tragedy that took 48 lives.