IPOH, July 29 — The decision on when the long-abandoned Sungai Pari Flats in Buntong will be demolished, and who will carry out the work, rests entirely with the appointed developer, Perak Housing and Property Board (LPHP) chief executive officer Zaiteena Wan Nasir said.
Two teenage girls were recently found dead at the flats.
Zaiteena said LPHP had handed over the site to the developer earlier this year, giving it full authority to decide when the demolition would take place and which contractor would be appointed.
“We have already appointed a developer to develop the area. The developer has the right to appoint whoever they want to carry out the demolition.
“It is not necessarily those who have expressed interest because the developer may prefer to appoint its own in-house team.
“The developer will also ensure the demolition is carried out safely, and the cost will be borne by the developer,” she told a press conference after the Program Aspirasi Hartanah Bumiputera Perak at Hotel Casuarina Meru here.
Zaiteena was responding to an offer by the Perak Indian Traders Association to demolish the abandoned flats free of charge following safety concerns after the deaths of the two teenagers.
She said the developer had initially planned to install hoarding around the site but was unable to proceed because of several outstanding issues, including the relocation of a temple within the project area.
“That issue has to be settled first before the hoarding can be put up. The developer is prioritising safety at the site,” she said.
Although the developer was appointed at the beginning of the year, work could not begin immediately because several matters had to be resolved, including obtaining approval for the development plan, Zaiteena said.
“They need approval for the development plan before they can proceed with the hoarding and the subsequent works,” she said.
Under the redevelopment plan, two heritage buildings will be preserved, while the remaining blocks, including the flats, will be demolished to make way for a new mixed-use development.
Meanwhile, Perak Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Saarani Mohamad, who was also present at the press conference, said the redevelopment must go through the proper planning and zoning processes.
“Whatever they want to do must be legally and morally right, so that no one can say we acted without considering the interests of all parties,” he said.
Yesterday, the Perak Indian Traders Association was reported to have offered to cover the cost of demolition, rubbish clearance, debris removal and levelling work to make the area safe for nearby residents and schoolchildren.
Its president, K. Hari Krishnan, said the association was prepared to carry out the entire project free of charge, potentially saving the government about RM1.5 million compared with appointing an external contractor.
Last Friday, two 14-year-old schoolgirls were found dead after they were believed to have fallen from an upper floor of the abandoned Sungai Pari Flats.
Perak police chief Datuk Mohd Alwi Zainal Abidin said initial investigations indicated that the girls had allegedly left the school compound voluntarily before they were found at the flats.
Mohd Alwi also said investigations had so far uncovered no evidence of the involvement of any other party.
