KUALA LUMPUR – Rasa terhutang budi dengan Pasukan Mencari dan Menyelamat Khas Malaysia (SMART) membantu mangsa gempa bumi di Myanmar – sekumpulan warga negara itu yang berada di Malaysia meraikan kepulangan pasukan itu di Subang dekat sini semalam.

KUALA LUMPUR: The welfare of the victims of the gas pipeline disaster in Putra Heights, Subang Jaya remains a priority, with various efforts being carried out including additional contributions and rental assistance.

Selangor Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Amirudin Shari said that the contributions of RM5,000 and RM2,500 from Petronas are in addition to the assistance previously announced by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.

He said the contributions, based on the level of house damage, mean that victims whose homes were completely destroyed will receive a total of RM10,000, while those with partially damaged homes and tenants will each receive RM5,000.

Additionally, Amirudin announced that the state government would provide rental assistance of RM2,000 to affected victims for six months, depending on the repair period of each home, involving a financial implication of RM7.4 million.

Following the incident, which occurred on the morning of the second day of Hari Raya (April 1), Amirudin said the estimated value of loss and damage to affected residences was about RM65.4 million, with 437 houses confirmed as the final number of residences impacted.

He said the figure was based on inspections conducted by a technical team led by the Malaysian Fire and Rescue Department, confirming that 81 houses were completely destroyed with structural damage exceeding 40 percent, 81 houses were partially damaged, 57 were affected but not burnt, while 218 houses were not affected.

Selangor Deputy State Secretary (Development) and Director of the State Economic Planning Unit, Datuk Johary Anuar, has also been appointed to lead the Recovery Phase, including restoration methods for homes, roads, infrastructure, and public facilities.

Meanwhile, the Prime Minister's Political Secretary Datuk Azman Abidin expressed hope that more corporate companies would come forward to contribute to the victims to help ease their burden, despite various forms of assistance already provided by the government and related agencies.

He said that as of today, a total of RM1.4 million had been channelled to affected victims, including immediate aid from the Implementation Coordination Unit (ICU) of the Prime Minister's Department and initial assistance from Petronas.

In addition to financial assistance, victims are also receiving counselling support at the Local Social Support Centre established at the temporary evacuation centre (PPS) there.

Minister of Women, Family and Community Development Datuk Seri Nancy Shukri said that a total of 253 victims have received counselling assistance at the Local Social Support Centre at the PPS.

Housing and Local Government Minister Nga Kor Ming is also reported to be meeting the Prime Minister today to discuss the best formula to assist the victims.

The Ministry of Health further informed that 41 out of the total 149 victims involved in this tragedy are still receiving treatment at hospitals and clinics. Of this number, 19 victims are being treated in general wards of government hospitals, while 22 are receiving care at private health facilities.

Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Razarudin Husain, meanwhile, said that aside from criminal elements and negligence, which are among the focuses of police investigation, other factors are also being considered in efforts to identify the cause of the incident, including the possibility of underground soil movement at the location.– BERNAMA

PUTRAJAYA: Civil servants affected by last Tuesday's gas pipeline fire in Putra Heights, Subang Jaya, have been granted permission to be absent from work for reasons of general emergency.

This is in accordance with Clause SR.4.2.7 of the Service Circular for Human Resources (PPSM), which applies to the affected civil servants.

The directive was issued by Director-General of Public Service Tan Sri Wan Ahmad Dahlan Abdul Aziz, via a circular dated April 7, which was shared on the Public Service Department's (JPA) Facebook page today.

The circular is for the attention of all secretaries general of ministries, heads of federal departments, state secretaries, and heads of management of federal and state statutory bodies, as well as local authorities.

"The government has agreed to grant an exemption to the condition prohibiting travel to the office or usual place of work under the Rules for Granting Permission to be Absent from Work for Reasons of General Emergency," he said in the circular.

According to Wan Ahmad Dahlan, the exemption was granted under two conditions, namely that officers are residents of the affected areas and that they do not have access to facilities that would allow them to work from home or attend the office.

The circular also stated that the exemption was granted specifically for the gas pipeline fire incident in Putra Heights.

"The head of department may decide on the appropriate period of absence from work, taking into account the welfare of officers and the smooth running of services," he said.

The Petronas gas pipeline fire that broke out around 8.10 am on April 1 sent flames more than 30 metres into the sky, with temperatures soaring to 1,000 degrees Celsius. It took nearly eight hours for the blaze to be fully extinguished.

The disaster destroyed 81 homes completely, with structural damage exceeding 40 per cent, another 81 were partially destroyed, and 57 were affected but not burnt, while 218 houses were not affected.–BERNAMA

KUALA LUMPUR, 8 April: Kebajikan mangsa insiden kebakaran dan letupan saluran gas di Putra Heights, Subang Jaya terus menjadi keutamaan dengan pelbagai usaha dilaksanakan termasuk pemberian sumbangan tambahan dan bantuan sewa rumah.

Menteri Besar Selangor Datuk Seri Amirudin Shari berkata sumbangan sebanyak RM5,000 dan RM2,500 daripada Petronas ialah tambahan kepada bantuan yang diumumkan Perdana Menteri Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim sebelum ini.

Beliau berkata sumbangan mengikut kategori atau tahap kerosakan rumah itu menjadikan mangsa yang tergolong dalam kategori rumah musnah sepenuhnya akan menerima keseluruhan RM10,000 manakala bagi separa musnah dan penyewa masing-masing akan menerima sebanyak RM5,000.

Dalam pada itu, Amirudin turut mengumumkan kerajaan negeri akan menyalurkan bantuan sewa rumah sebanyak RM2,000 kepada mangsa terlibat selama enam bulan bergantung pada tempoh pembaikan rumah masing-masing melibatkan implikasi kewangan sebanyak RM7.356 juta.

Susulan insiden yang berlaku pada pagi hari raya kedua itu, Amirudin berkata nilai kerugian dan kerosakan kediaman yang terlibat dianggarkan sebanyak RM65.4 juta dengan 437 rumah dikenal pasti sebagai angka muktamad kediaman terlibat dalam insiden terbabit.

Katanya, jumlah itu berdasarkan pemerhatian yang dilakukan pasukan teknikal diketuai oleh Jabatan Bomba dan Penyelamat Malaysia (JBPM) serta hasil pemeriksaan turut mendapati 81 rumah disahkan musnah sepenuhnya dengan kerosakan pada struktur melebihi 40 peratus, 81 rumah separa musnah, 57 terkesan tetapi tidak terbakar manakala sebanyak 218 rumah tidak terjejas.

Timbalan Setiausaha Kerajaan Negeri (Pembangunan) merangkap Pengarah Unit Perancang Ekonomi Negeri Datuk Johary Anuar juga dilantik untuk mengetuai Fasa Pemulihan termasuk kaedah baik pulih bagi kawasan yang terkesan, seperti rumah, jalan, infrastruktur dan kemudahan awam.

Sementara itu, Setiausaha Politik Perdana Menteri Datuk Azman Abidin berharap agar lebih banyak syarikat korporat tampil memberikan sumbangan kepada mangsa insiden letupan paip gas itu bagi meringankan beban mangsa, walaupun pelbagai bantuan telah diberikan oleh kerajaan dan agensi berkaitan.

Beliau berkata setakat Isnin, sebanyak RM1.4 juta telah disalurkan kepada mangsa-mangsa terjejas termasuk bantuan kilat daripada Unit Penyelarasan Pelaksanaan (ICU), Jabatan Perdana Menteri dan juga bantuan awal Petronas.

Selain bantuan dari segi kewangan, mangsa juga menerima bantuan kaunseling di Pusat Sokongan Sosial Setempat yang disediakan di pusat pemindahan sementara (PPS).

Perkara itu dimaklumkan Menteri Pembangunan Wanita, Keluarga dan Masyarakat Datuk Seri Nancy Shukri yang melibatkan sebanyak 253 mangsa menerima bantuan kaunseling di Pusat Sokongan Sosial Setempat yang disediakan di PPS.

Menteri Perumahan dan Kerajaan Tempatan Nga Kor Ming juga dilaporkan akan bertemu dengan Perdana Menteri bagi membincangkan formula terbaik untuk membantu mangsa.

Kementerian Kesihatan turut memaklumkan sebanyak 41 daripada keseluruhan 149 mangsa yang terlibat dalam tragedi ini masih menerima rawatan di hospital serta klinik, dan daripada jumlah itu, 19 mangsa dirawat di wad biasa hospital kerajaan manakala 22 mangsa lagi di kemudahan kesihatan swasta.

Sementara itu, Ketua Polis Negara Tan Sri Razarudin Husain berkata selain elemen jenayah dan kecuaian menjadi antara fokus siasatan Polis Diraja Malaysia (PDRM), faktor lain turut diambil kira dalam usaha mengenal pasti punca kejadian termasuk faktor pergerakan tanah di bawah permukaan lokasi kejadian yang sedang dipertimbangkan. – TVS