KUALA LUMPUR – The Selangor government has been urged to involve more agencies and professional bodies in the technical committee investigating the recent gas pipeline leak incident in Putra Heights.

Speaking to Scoop, Taman Medan assemblyman Dr Afif Bahardin said that in addition to this, the state government must take stronger coordination efforts to support victims of the fire, particularly in matters of compensation and insurance claims. 

“The state government needs to adopt a more professional stance in its actions. More agencies and professional bodies, such as the Board of Engineers Malaysia and the Institute of Public Works Malaysia (Ikram), should be brought in to be part of the investigation committee. 

“I don’t think it’s sufficient for the investigation to be led solely by the police. We have to acknowledge that this issue stems from a failure in functionality – whether a faulty pipeline or a leak – that must be thoroughly investigated. 

“And I don’t think the police alone are enough to investigate this incident. I’m not sure whether the state government has managed to bring in more agencies,” he told Scoop. 

The technical investigation committee is currently led by the Royal Malaysia Police, focusing on elements of sabotage and negligence. It is also supported by the Occupational Safety and Health Department, the Public Works Department, the Irrigation and Drainage Department, Subang Jaya City Council (MBSJ), and the Minerals and Geoscience Department. 

Afif, who is also a Bersatu Supreme Council member, said the opposition is considering calling for the matter to be investigated by the Selangor Select Committee on Competency, Accountability and Transparency (Selcat). 

He suggested that Selcat could serve as a platform to summon agencies, relevant authorities, contractors, and residents to provide information and any findings they may have on the incident transparently and publicly. 

“This is essential to restore public confidence – not just in the state government, but more importantly in the local authorities.

“There are long-term issues that will arise, especially since this involves a Petronas gas pipeline which is part of a main line for gas distribution. 

“This is a matter of reputation, safety, and public confidence. I believe both the state and federal governments have failed to handle this matter effectively,” he added. 

Afif also noted a lack of urgency from both the state and federal governments to engage housing developers. 

“There are many developers in Selangor who could be brought in to offer housing assistance, given that many of the homes affected have been completely destroyed. 

“In terms of insurance and bank financing, I believe a large portion of these homes are still under bank loans. Therefore, the state and federal governments could initiate discussions with the banks to provide special consideration to affected homeowners.” 

He also suggested that the government could summon all insurance companies and produce a list identifying who is eligible or ineligible to receive insurance payouts in the affected area. 

“This involves a lot of victims, and I don’t expect the state government to resolve everything in a week or two – but we are now entering the third week, and 50% of the problems remain unresolved. 

“This isn’t just a matter of the contractor apologising. If the contractor is found to be at fault, they must be held accountable for the losses and bear part of the government’s costs,” he said. 

Meanwhile, Selayang MP William Leong offered a different perspective, urging that the investigation committee – including the police and fire department – be given sufficient time to complete their investigations into the explosion.

“The police and relevant agencies are still investigating. If the contractor’s name is released now, the public may jump to conclusions and make various accusations on social media.