KUALA LUMPUR – Ahli Parlimen Machang, Wan Ahmad Fayhsal Wan Ahmad Kamal mempersoalkan kenapa penjawat awam Selangor dipaksa membuat potongan gaji bagi membantu mangsa tragedi letupan paip gas di Putra Heights.

“Kenapa penjawat awam Selangor kena paksa buat potongan gaji,’’ soalnya menerusi hantaran di Facebook hari ini.

Beliau mengulas kenyataan Menteri Besar Selangor, Datuk Seri Amirudin Shari semalam yang menyatakan selain Ahli Majlis Mesyuarat Kerajaan Negeri (MMKN) dan 45 Ahli Dewan Undangan Negeri (Adun), penjawat awam berpangkat gred 48 dan ke atas turut dipotong gaji.

Ia tanda solidariti terhadap rakyat Selangor daripada kumpulan tersebut bagi membantu mangsa insiden letupan paip gas di Putra Heights.

Mengulas lanjut, Wan Ahmad Fayhsal yang juga Ahli Majlis Pimpinan Tertinggi Bersatu turut mempertikaikan kenapa tiada sebarang kenyataan dibuat mengenai kontraktor yang terlibat dan kenapa nama mereka tidak didedahkan sehingga kini.

Beliau mempersoalkan bukankah mereka yang patut dikenakan tindakan undang-undang dan membayar pampasan kepada mangsa Putra Heights.

“Kenapa tidak dedahkan namanya lagi? Apakah dengan kebiusan ini sebenarnya kerajaan negeri cuba melindungi kontraktor ini? “Kebal sungguh!,’’ tegasnya.

Pada 6 April lalu, Ketua Polis Selangor, Datuk Hussein Omar Khan berkata, tiada sebab untuk mendedahkan nama pemaju atau sebagainya sehingga siasatan selesai.

Malah, katanya, kes kebakaran saluran paip di Putra Heights belum diklasifikasikan sebagai kes jenayah sementara menunggu siasatan penuh bagi menentukan punca letupan tersebut.

Berikutan itu, ujar beliau, kertas inkuiri telah dibuka untuk mengetahui sekiranya wujud sebarang unsur jenayah berkaitan kejadian itu.

Insiden kebakaran saluran paip gas Petronas pada 8.10 pagi, 1 April lepas, menyebabkan api marak setinggi lebih 30 meter dengan suhu mencecah 1,000 darjah Celsius dan mengambil masa hampir lapan jam untuk dipadamkan sepenuhnya.

Kejadian itu mengakibatkan 81 rumah musnah sepenuhnya dengan kerosakan struktur melebihi 40% manakala 81 rumah separa musnah, 57 rumah terkesan tetapi tidak terbakar manakala 218 rumah tidak terjejas. – 10 April, 2025

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. 

KUALA LUMPUR: Several victims of the gas pipeline explosion and fire incident in Putra Heights are now in the final phase of preparations to move out of the Putra Heights Mosque Temporary Evacuation Centre (PPS) to other settlements.

The PPS, which is expected to close this Sunday, has seen residents begin preparing to move to temporary settlements, including rental houses and Airbnb units with government assistance.

Among them is Fazreen Azizan, 34, who has registered for a month’s accommodation assistance through the Airbnb which opened a special counter at the PPS since yesterday.

“We were given the flexibility to choose the Airbnb accommodation we want to stay in at a cost of RM7,100 per month or RM230 per night. So when the PPS closes this Sunday, my husband and I as well as our five children will continue to move to a house around Subang,“ she said when met by Bernama at the Putra Heights Mosque Hall PPS near here, today.

“Even if the house is repaired, it will take more than six months,” she said.

Fazreen said her family did not want to move to the Seri Suria Apartment, Kota Warisan, Sepang offered by the state government because the location is far and makes it difficult for her children to go to school.

When visiting her rented house that burned down on Tuesday, she found that all her belongings, including her car, were burnt to the ground, causing losses estimated at RM80,000.

Another victim, Roseniza Bidin, 56, who is self-employed, said she had started looking for a rental house in Kampung Kuala Sungai Baru in preparation to move out of the PPS.

“Our family of four chose to look for a rental house early so as not to have to worry about moving several times, since the Airbnb accommodation assistance is only for a month,” she said.

She added that the decision was also influenced by the need to care for their eight pet cats who also needed suitable accommodation.

Meanwhile, Mohd Fazly Nordin, 40, said he was not ready to move because his house, which was 60 per cent damaged, would take two to three months to repair.

“So far, I have not registered for Airbnb. If I can later, I will try to find a house around this area because the children are schooling here,” he said.

Mohd Fazly also expressed gratitude that the fire brigade’s quick action prevented his house from being completely destroyed.

“Only the roof of the house collapsed. Thankfully, the main structure of the house that I inherited from my late father is still intact,” he said after visiting his house last Friday.

The gas pipeline fire that occurred at 8.10 am on April 1 caused a fire to burn more than 30 metres high with temperatures reaching 1,000 degrees Celsius before it was completely extinguished almost eight hours later.

Suasana di Kampung Sungai Baru kini berubah sunyi selepas tragedi letupan paip gas yang menggemparkan itu.

Deretan rumah yang sebelum ini dipenuhi kehidupan kini kosong dan terbiar, dengan atap-atap yang berlubang menjadi saksi bisu kepada insiden berkenaan.

Di pintu masuk kampung, kelihatan anggota polis setia berkawal, memastikan tiada siapa yang keluar masuk tanpa kawalan demi keselamatan semua.