By Parliamentary Opposition Leader, DAP Secretary-General and MP for Tanjung, Lim Kit Siang, in Petaling Jaya on Saturday, 25th June 1994:
Dr. Ting Chew Peh should act on Anwar Ibrahim’s proposal to schedule a meeting with Highland Towers residents to see how the Government could help them, particularly in claiming compensation for their losses and suffering
The Housing and Local Government Minister, Datuk Dr. Ting Chew Pen, should act on the proposal by the Deputy Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, and should schedule a meeting with the Highland Towers residents to see how the Government could help them, particularly in claiming compensation for their losses and suffering in the Highland Towers Tragedy which killed 48 people on December 11.
Anwar Ibrahim told reporters after opening the Pan Asian Writers Conference in Petaling Jaya yesterday that the relevant bodies were looking into whether to initiate criminal proceedings against ‘neighbouring property owners’ who contribued to the collapse of Highland Towers.
He said that with the submission of the Ampang Jaya Municipal Council inquiry report to the Cabinet, it was now up to the Housing and Local Government Ministry to take the necessary steps and probably meet the residents.
Dr. Ting Chew Peh should arrange for an early meeting with the Highland Towers residents, as they complained that after the futile rescue operations last December, the Government had completely left them alone and they felt abandoned and ‘left in a lurch’.
Dr. Ting Chew Peh should meet the Highland Towers Residents Committee next week to present them with a full set of the six-volume Ampang Java Municipal Council inquiry report and to have a dialogue with the residents to find out their problems and how the government could help them.
I reiterate my proposal that Dr. Ting should set up a special task force to help the Highland Towers residents on the question of compensation for their losses and suffering, and the members of this Highland Towers compensation special task force should accompany Dr. Ting Chew Peh in his meeting with the residents.
After the meeting with the Highland Towers residents, Dr. Ting should present a Ministerial statement to Parliament when it reconvenes on July 4 to report as to what form of assistance the Ministry of Housing and Local Government is rendering to the Highland Towers survivors and residents.
In this connection, the Highland Towers residents and the public are entitled to know the stage of police actions on the question as to whether to initiate criminal proceedings against those responsible for the Highland Towers Disaster.
Has the Police completed their investigations and submitted their papers to the Attorney-General for decision, or are the Police still to complete their investigations and recommendations? If it is the latter, the Inspector General of Police, Tan Sri Rahim Noor, should explain why the Police is taking such an inordinately long time on a matter which warranted priority action.