Fearing Highland Towers tragedy, Taman Pertama homeowners offer to sell units

KUALA LUMPUR – Residents along Jalan Selangat and the adjacent Lorong Selangat in Cheras here have offered to sell their houses to developer Metro Kajang Holdings Bhd (MKH) to avoid being caught in future disasters in the area.

Newly appointed residents’ committee chairman, Au Yong, 67, told MKH representative Tee Wai Seng, during a town hall meeting this morning that the units are for sale for the right price.

“Since you are so interested in this area, the owners are willing to sell if you are willing to buy, but at a price slightly above market price.

“Because all of them are living in fear and do not want to experience another tremor or quake or a tragedy like the one in Highland Towers in Ampang.”

This comes after eight homes were rendered unsafe for occupancy and one totally levelled following the landslide, triggering an immediate stop-work order by the Kuala Lumpur City Hall for developments nearby.

In response, Tee said he would have to speak to the developer’s top management before any reply can be made.

“I will need to convey this message to my top management; I cannot provide you an answer at my level.”

Checks on property listings showed that prices of houses for sale on the two roads range from RM800,000 to RM1.6 million.

The offer was made during the town hall chaired by Cheras MP Tan Kok Wai of DAP, with officers from Kuala Lumpur City Hall’s Infrastructure Planning Department also present.

Also decided at the meeting was the formation of a seven-person residents’ committee to represent a total of 109 households in the affected area.

DAP’s Tan, when speaking to The Vibes, said he believes the offer made to the developer by residents to buy over their homes was a serious one and one not made out of impulse.

“I think they are very serious because when you have a concrete monster 42-storey building at your doorstep, you will surely not feel very good.”

Tan said homeowners seeking monetary compensation for their damaged properties from the developer would first have to wait for investigations by engineering and construction consultants Ikram Sdn Bhd to be completed.

Once Ikram has completed its investigations, he said the findings will then be scrutinised by an independent panel which will conclude if the investigations were satisfactory.

“The independent panel will have to see if findings of the investigation report warrant the need and right of affected homeowners to seek legal redress from the developer in the form of compensation or whatnot,” he said.

“Residents here are living in fear, multiple phobias, even experiencing sleeping disorders; even the chairman said he has a heart issue.

“So, I can understand the residents here being worried, because once everybody knows about this problem here, the value of properties in this area will also drop.”

Additionally, Tan said the newly formed residents’ committee will be meeting once every three days at the initial stage to allow everyone to be updated on the ongoing situation. – The Vibes, May 24, 2022