HIGHLAND

TOWERS
TRAGEDY
 GROUP MEMBER
 MOHD ZAIHA BIN HASHIM
 SX095089MMD04
 MOHD SAFWAN BIN ISHAK
 SX091292MMJ04
 IZZUAN AZMI BIN ZAINAL ABIDIN
 SX095273MMD04
 SAMSUL AZHAR BIN BAHAROM SHAH
 SX095784MMD04
 MOHD FAIRUS BIN MOHD HASHIM
 SX055638MMD03
 MOHD SAIFIFI BIN RAMLI
 SX095820MMD04
 Background of Tragedy
 3 blocks of 12
storey
condominium in
Hulu Kelang
 Began construction
in 1974
 11 Dec 1993 at
1.35pm Block 1
collapsed
 48 died
 Dark history in
construction
industry of
Malaysia
 Chronology of Tragedy
 Before 1964
 Application by the Highland Properties Sdn
Bhd for project proposal
 1964
 JPBK Selangor began evaluation
 KL District Office approved the proposal
 1974
 Construction began by Konsortium Jurubina
Perunding
 Chronology of Tragedy
 1978
 Completion of Block 1, Certificate of Fitness
(CF) issued
 Residents started moving in
 1981
 Completion of Block 2, CF issued
 Residents started moving in
 1992
 Completion of Block 3, CF issued
 Residents started moving in
 Chronology of Tragedy
 1st July 1992
 Establishment of Ampang Jaya Municipal
Council (MPAJ)
 MPAJ accountable over the project
 1993
 MPAJ issued CF for condominium basement
parking construction
 November 1993
 Resident found crack on roads around the
condominium
 Chronology of Tragedy
 11 Dec 1993
 1.35 pm – Block 1 of the towers collapsed
 13 Dec 1993
 A cabinet committee was formed, chaired
by DPM (DSAI) to solve all issues
regarding the tragedy
 22 Dec 1993
 48 found dead until this date, search &
rescue mission ended
 1994
 Detailed report of tragedy published
 Causes of Tragedy
 Tropical climate brings high amount of
rain
 Unsystematic drainage system
 Topography area of hills, geology and
unstable soil-sand mix type that
contribute to landslide
 Design mistakes of concrete wall at the
back of Block 1 of the Towers



 Causes of Tragedy
 Bukit Antarabangsa development by MBF &
AMFB 150m uphill from the Highland Towers
scalped large area of forest
 Heavy rain forced water to seep into hill soil
 Cause flood of mud that cracked the roads
around the condo
 Surface water overflow eroded the soil on the
slope
 Soil structure become unstable and resulted
slippage and landslide


 Causes of Tragedy
 Supporting wall on the front and rear of the
building collapsed and let the slippage
occurred easier
 The slippage weakened the front support of
the building
 Load on rear of the building increased
 Base of the condo become more unstable and
overstressed the front piles of the condo
 The piles broken, building tilted due to
movement of centre of gravity
 Gradually collapsed on it side
 Action by Authorities
 A cabinet committee chaired by DPM (DSAI)
was formed 2 days after tragedy
 Selangor State Government via MPAJ formed a
special investigation unit to determine
causes of the tragedy and detailed report
published in 1994
 Government immediately froze all high-rise
project on hillside approval until new policy
has been approved
 All high-rise construction project delayed, while
project on construction would continue after
submission stability & safety report by
consultant
 Action by Authorities
 All building over 5 storey on hillside needs
safety confirmation from consultant within 6
months
 All states government froze high-rise
construction on hillside project
 DPM announced that the Federal would draft a
new policy regarding development on
highland area
 All highland development project required
Environmental Impact Assessment for
project Approval
 Existing act related to highland development
amended
 Effect and Implication
 48 found death
 Loss and damage of properties
 Environmental damage of surrounding
area
 Amendments of existing act related to
environment
 Possibilities of decreasing demands over
residential on hillsides.



 Comment & Suggestion
 Rules & Regulation must be made according to
new findings due to new discoveries by
researchers local and overseas
 Involved parties should be more concern by
ensuring building design, materials used and
contractors qualifications meet the specs
 Approving bodies should consist experts,
professionals and personnel with no conflict of
interest.
 A geo-technical team should monitor physical
structure of land and construction of high-rise
building
Conclusion
 The tragedy happened not due lack of science
and technology instead it happened mainly
due to pride of living on hillside as a symbol
of luxury.
 The increasing demand has driven capitalism-
minded developer that concern more of
profit than human safety on race of highland
development project.
 Some defect politician that profited by
overruling calculated decision by engineers
and experts to approve project on risky area
that destroy environment and our natural
watersheds.
 The construction going fast without slope
monitoring by local authorities as developer
lobbying for more development on
surrounding area
 Sources & References
 http://ms.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tragedi_Highland
 http://www.hba.org.my/archive/focus/HT/1999
 http://www.hba.org.my/archive/focus/HT/1998
 http://
www.budiey.com/in-memory-of-the-highlan
