SHAH ALAM, Aug 4 — Issues regarding the provision of aid to victims of the gas pipe explosion in Putra Heights, Subang Jaya, including the extension of house rental financing, will be discussed at the Selangor Economic Action Meeting (MTES) on Friday (Aug 8).

Selangor Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Amirudin Shari said the state government will also review the progress of the reconstruction and repair of the victims’ homes to ensure work is going on smoothly.

“As I said at the recent Selangor State Legislative Assembly, the process will be completed in October. Yes, it will take some time because it depends on the severity of the damage, but if the (construction) work is slow, we will review it.

“I also mentioned at the assembly sitting the other day that the work is currently at 22 to 24 per cent progress, and carried out by Syarikat Perumahan Negara Berhad (SPNB), while rebuilding work in Kampung Kuala Sungai Baharu is progressing much faster,” he said.

He said this at a media conference after the Selangor Joint Committee for Industrial Coordination (JBI) meeting that he co-chaired with the Minister of Investment, Trade and Industry (MITI), Tengku Datuk Seri Zafrul Aziz, at Dewan Jubli Perak here today.

Amirudin also denied that there is a difference in the assistance received between victims in Kampung Kuala Sungai Baharu and Taman Putra Heights, adding that it instead depended on the damage suffered based on the stipulated ceiling payment.

“The houses (of the victims) in Putra Heights were completely damaged. We have several categories: houses that are recorded as total loss (will get) up to RM300,000, and those with minor damage up to RM60,000. There are certain processes between the two, there is no difference,” he said. — Bernama