Housing and Local Government Minister Zuraida Kamaruddin said today that the demolition of the two remaining Highland Towers blocks will be delayed pending further study.

According to the Malay Mail, Zuraida said the Ampang Jaya Municipal Council (MPAJ), which was tasked with handling technical matters related to the demolition, needs more time to examine the structural integrity of the buildings.

"The re-evaluation study, conducted together with the Works Department, will take at least another three to four months.

"This is also corroborated by the technical experts involved in the demolition works," she said.

Zuraida noted that the Highland Towers Redevelopment Committee, which falls under her ministry, had also convened eight times since its formation on June 27, with the latest being on Nov 30.

She added that any redevelopment plans at the site will only be finalised after a comprehensive safety study has been conducted.

The Housing and Local Government Ministry had initially proposed to repurpose the site as a recreational park.

Zuraida announced in September that the remaining Highland Towers blocks will finally be brought down a quarter of a century after the deadly landslide which killed 48.

The Ampang MP has spent the past decade trying to resolve the Highland Towers issue, but noted her options were limited previously, as she was in the opposition then.

One of the three blocks of the Highland Towers condominium collapsed in 1993 ago due to a landslide. 

The two remaining towers were to be repaired and reoccupied, but were later condemned after authorities said they could not be safely rehabilitated.