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.