Latest news with #HasrolnizamShaari
Malay Mail
2 days ago
- Malay Mail
MPAJ's Highland Towers demolition bid stalls in lower court
AMPANG, July 30 — The Ampang Jaya Municipal Council (MPAJ) must now apply to the High Court for order to demolish the remaining Highland Towers blocks in Hulu Kelang, after its latest attempt was rejected by the Magistrate's Court. MPAJ deputy president Hasrolnizam Shaari said the High Court's permission is now required since the landowner, Highland Properties Sdn Bhd, has been wound up. He added that the Magistrate's Court directed MPAJ to escalate the matter to the High Court for further decision, The Star reported. MPAJ began pursuing demolition plans last year in response to repeated complaints from nearby residents over safety and nuisance concerns. Then-MPAJ president Dr Ani Ahmad had said notices would be served to the property owners as part of the legal process. She also said the demolition would follow Sections 87, 88, and 89 of the Street, Drainage and Building Act 1974, which address public nuisances and unsafe structures. The cost of tearing down the derelict buildings was then estimated at RM6 million to RM7 million. The Highland Towers tragedy occurred on December 11, 1993, when one of three apartment blocks collapsed, killing 48 people and prompting the evacuation of the remaining towers.
The Star
2 days ago
- General
- The Star
MPAJ seeking High Court ruling on Highland Towers
MPAJ is seeking legal recourse to demolish the two remaining blocks at Highland Towers in Hulu Kelang, Selangor. The blocks have been abandoned following the Dec 11, 1993, tragedy which killed 48 people. — Filepic AMPANG Jaya Municipal Council (MPAJ) will seek a High Court order to proceed with the demolition of the remaining blocks of Highland Towers in Hulu Kelang, Selangor. This comes after MPAJ failed in its latest bid to obtain court approval from the Ampang Magistrate's Court to bring down the structures. MPAJ deputy president Hasrolnizam Shaari said the next course of action would be to bring the matter to the High Court for a ruling. 'We will need to get leave from the High Court to decide if MPAJ is allowed to carry out the demolition. 'The Magistrate's Court directed MPAJ to seek an order from the High Court as Highland Properties Sdn Bhd (the landowner) has been wound up,' Hasrolnizam said after chairing the local council's monthly full board meeting at Menara MPAJ in Pandan Indah yesterday. Last year, MPAJ initiated the process to demolish the remaining blocks, following multiple complaints from neighbouring residents. Then president Dr Ani Ahmad had said MPAJ would issue a notice to the property owners to demolish the structures. She had also said due process would be carried out according to Sections 87, 88 and 89 of the Street, Drainage and Building Act 1974 (Act 133). These relate to nuisances (Sections 87 and 88) and demolition of a house unfit for habitation (Section 89). At the time, she said the demolition was estimated to cost between RM6mil and RM7mil. The Highland Towers tragedy occurred on Dec 11, 1993, when one of the three blocks collapsed, resulting in 48 fatalities. The remaining towers were evacuated for safety reasons, leading to the area's eventual abandonment. On another matter, Hasrolnizam said MPAJ supported Selangor's centralised parking initiative, citing its potential to streamline operations and boost revenue. 'Although MPAJ is not one of the four initial councils targeted for the first phase, there have been discussions. 'So far, we do not have any major concerns,' he said, adding that the municipal council currently collected about RM600,000 in monthly parking fees. The Selangor Intelligent Parking (SIP) system is a state-led initiative to digitalise and centralise public parking. It is spearheaded by Menteri Besar Incorporated (MBI) Selangor and implemented through a company in collaboration with local councils. Under the SIP model, parking revenue will be split with 50% going to the concessionaire, 40% to the local councils involved and 10% to MBI. SIP is meant to kick off with Petaling Jaya City Council, Shah Alam City Council, Subang Jaya City Council and Selayang Municipal Council. Hasrolnizam said between January and July 24, MPAJ collected RM5.1mil in parking revenue. The main contributors were special bay rentals (RM2.5mil) and online payments (RM2.3mil), followed by monthly passes (RM144,000) and resident passes (RM193,000). During the meeting, Hasrolnizam also reported on MPAJ's efforts to recover assessment tax arrears from property owners as part of a pilot project launched in June last year. The initiative targeted 57 account holders with a total debt of RM109,462. 'As of July 2025, MPAJ successfully recovered RM75,728, achieving a 69.2% recovery rate.'
The Star
22-07-2025
- Health
- The Star
200 volunteers join forces for Ampang Jaya clean-up
ARMED with litter pickers, gloves and rubbish bags, about 200 volunteers joined forces in a community clean-up event aimed at promoting recycling and reducing dengue risks within the Ampang Jaya municipality. The 'Plogging Kitar Semula, Bebas Denggi' event saw participants walking and picking up rubbish along a 2km route around a local field. The event was jointly organised by Ampang Jaya Municipal Council (MPAJ) and Taiwan Buddhist Tzu Chi Foundation Malaysia. MPAJ deputy president Hasrolnizam Shaari said the initiative was part of ongoing efforts to encourage civic responsibility and to address the mounting waste problem in the municipality. 'On average, each person generates between 2kg and 2.5kg of rubbish daily. 'With a population of around 700,000 people across 180,000 houses and shops, that adds up to over 300 tonnes of waste per day,' Hasrolnizam said. He added that MPAJ allocated RM50mil annually for waste management, including collection and disposal services. 'However, waste management is not just the responsibility of the local council,' he said. 'It requires collective effort. Through community programmes like plogging and recycling initiatives such as Trash to Cash, we hope to instil long-term behavioural change.' The event also underscored the link between rubbish and public health. 'Improperly discarded waste can become breeding grounds for Aedes mosquitoes, which spread dengue fever,' he said. 'In the first five months of this year alone, Ampang Jaya recorded over 610 dengue cases.' However, he noted that ongoing preventive efforts such as community clean-ups were showing results, with a 40% reduction in dengue cases recorded this year compared to the same period last year. Also present at the event were MPAJ Urban Services and Health Department director Khairilazhar Ismail, Teratai assemblyman Yew Jia Haur and MPAJ councillor Wong Keng Chin. By the end of the programme, about 250kg of rubbish was collected by volunteers, with 202.5kg consisting of recyclable materials.
The Star
03-07-2025
- The Star
MPAJ to hold disciplinary committee meeting over bribery case involving department head
PETALING JAYA: Ampang Jaya Municipal Council (MPAJ) will initiate a Disciplinary Committee Meeting following the case of a department head charged with accepting RM30,000 in bribes. MPAJ deputy president Hasrolnizam Shaari said it would first need to obtain the official report from the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC). 'Further action will depend on the decision of the relevant committee," he said briefly when contacted. It was reported on Wednesday (July 2) that Ahmad Alhairi Mohamed Yusuf, 47, who is MPAJ Buildings and Architecture Department director, was charged on two counts of bribery amounting to RM30,000, two years ago. Both offences were allegedly committed at a Maybank branch in Taiping, within the Larut, Matang and Selama district He pleaded not guilty at the Ipoh Sessions Court in Perak. Both charges were made under Section 165 of the Penal Code, which provides for a maximum sentence of two years' imprisonment or a fine, or both, upon conviction. Judge Meor Sulaiman allowed the accused to be released on bail of RM10,000 with one surety and imposed a condition for the accused to report to the Selangor MACC office on the first Saturday of every month. He also ordered the accused to immediately surrender his international passport to the court for safekeeping until the case is concluded. The court set Aug 19 for case mention and document submission.
The Star
16-06-2025
- Business
- The Star
LUAS: Riverside activities allowed with conditions
Stacked chairs sit on tables placed directly in Sungai Kemensah as a riverside eatery prepares to welcome customers. — LOW LAY PHON/The Star THE presence of restaurants, campsites or other commercial setups along riverbanks may raise eyebrows, but such activities are not necessarily illegal, according to Selangor Water Management Authority (LUAS). Businesses can legally operate near or even over rivers, provided they meet strict conditions and obtain necessary approvals, the water authority said. LUAS is an agency under Selangor government responsible for preserving and conserving water resources. 'Any activity within 50m of a river reserve, or involving a water body, is considered a resource alteration activity and requires written permission from LUAS,' the agency said. This requirement is outlined under Section 43 (1) of LUAS Enactment 1999 and Resource Alteration Activity (Selangor) Regulations 2013. Approvals may also come with a set of general and specific conditions, while buffer distances vary depending on water source type and river width. LUAS says it regularly monitors rivers. — Courtesy photo 'Beyond that, some operators may also need additional licences, such as a Licence for Discharge or Release of Waste and Pollutants, a Return Water Licence (Section 79) or a Water Abstraction Licence (Section 107),' LUAS stated. It said river diversions, embankments or any permanent or semi-permanent structures, including platforms and dining decks, must not proceed without proper authorisation from its director. 'This applies even in hotspot areas like Kampung Kemensah in Hulu Kelang.' In our report yesterday, StarMetro highlighted concerns of over-commercialisation along Sungai Kemensah. Ampang Jaya Municipal Council (MPAJ) had said that none of the 70 businesses currently operating in Kampung Kemensah were licensed. Despite this, MPAJ said it had long-term plans to regulate and legalise these businesses through a formal whitelisting programme. MPAJ deputy president Hasrolnizam Shaari said the initiative was intended to bring recreational, tourism and commercial activities in the area under official oversight. LUAS said it conducted regular review through local council planning committees, site monitoring and checks on pollution control measures to ensure compliance. 'Significant pollution arises from restaurants, laundromats, workshops and improper greywater discharge. 'Enforcement under Street, Drainage and Building Act 1974 by the local authorities prohibits direct waste discharge. 'River Monitoring Programmes with water sampling at outfalls are also conducted,' the spokesperson said. LUAS added that it issued nine fines in 2024 totalling RM212,500 for unauthorised resource alteration, and five fines for water pollution totalling RM2.125mil. Other enforcement measures it took included legal proceedings against those involved in unauthorised realignment of Sungai Pusu in Gombak. — By BAVANI M and SHALINI RAVINDRAN
