Victims of Malaysian fallen condominium filing test suit

Victims of Malaysian fallen condominium filing test suit

KUALA LUMPUR (AFP): Six Malaysians devastated by the collapse
of a luxury condominium here last year said yesterday they have
filed a suit to seek damages for the loss of relatives and
valuables in the country's worst building disaster.

A district municipality, three individuals and five
corporations have been named defendants in the test case, filed
over the collapse of the Highland Towers on Dec. 11, which killed
48 people.

"We come as one voice to seek justice," said Koh Kum Seng, one
of the six plaintiffs who filed the suit at the Malaysian High
Court on Saturday.

Those blamed for the tragedy in the suit were the building's
developer, Highland Properties, draftsman Wong Tin Sang,
structural engineer Wong Yuen Kean and piling contractor Wing
Construction.

The Ampang Jaya Municipal Council, which authorized the
condominium, and private companies Arab Malaysian Finance, MBf
Property Services and Metrolux, which owned properties adjoining
to the building, were also named as defendants.

Court officials said claims and damages sought in the suit
amounted to more than 1.5 million ringgit (US$600,000).

The plaintiffs had sought compensation for loss of condominium
units and household goods and expenses incurred in burying
relatives killed in the mishap, as well as the costs of repairing
vehicles damaged in the incident.

They had also sought special and exemplary damages deemed fit
by the court.

The 12-story condominium block toppled off a scenic hill
overlooking Kuala Lumpur, killing 37 Malaysians and 11
foreigners, including three Filipinos, three Indians, two South
Koreans, two Indonesians and a Japanese.

A multinational search team of French, Japanese, Singaporean
and Malaysian rescuers spent 11 days scouring the rubble for
survivors, but only managed to rescue an Indonesian woman and her
child.

A government investigation committee led by Deputy Prime
Minister Anwar Ibrahim identified Highland Properties as the
party responsible for the tragedy.