Putra Heights inferno: Reconstruction of damaged homes to take two years
The Housing and Local Government Minister said so far, work on 219 affected homes had been carried out according to plan and within the set timeframe.
"Contractors are actively working on the repair and reconstruction of the destroyed homes. I hope that within less than two years, we can complete the construction of new houses for the affected victims.
"Homes that have been completely destroyed, we will build new ones, while those that can be repaired will be restored," he said before appearing as a guest on Bernama TV's Ruang Bicara programme, which discussed the topic "UN-Habitat: Malaysia Ready to Lead Global Sustainable Development" at Wisma Bernama on Tuesday (May 13).
Nga said the government, through the Housing and Local Government Ministry, had allocated RM46mil to repair homes and public infrastructure affected by the incident.
He said that through the allocation from the ministry and the Subang Jaya City Council, RM6mil had been set aside to restore and rebuild public infrastructure and facilities, including roads, drainage systems and public recreational parks damaged.
The gas pipeline fire on April 1 caused flames to rise more than 30m high, with temperatures reaching over 1,000°C and took almost eight hours to be completely extinguished.
The incident caused 81 homes to be completely destroyed, with structural damage exceeding 40%, 81 homes partially damaged, 57 homes affected but not burned and 218 homes left unaffected. – Bernama
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Star
an hour ago
- The Star
Consent snag for renewal act
THE government's bid to rejuvenate ageing buildings and underutilised spaces through the proposed Urban Renewal Act has been questioned by MPs, who are urging that its second reading be delayed to address concerns over consent thresholds and the risk of gentrification. The Urban Renewal Bill, tabled for first reading by Housing and Local Government Minister Nga Kor Ming in the Dewan Rakyat yesterday, sets out a framework for redevelopment, regeneration and revitalisation projects. It provides for the establishment of Federal (FEC) and State Executive Committees (SEC) to oversee projects, as well as mediation committees to safeguard stakeholder interests. One of its most debated provisions is Clause 19, which sets the consent thresholds required for redevelopment. According to Clause 19 (1)(a) of the Bill, a unanimous consent threshold is required if the proprietor voluntarily applies to the FEC or SEC to carry out an urban renewal project. Projects initiated by either committees however, would need 80% consent for buildings less than 30 years old, 75% for buildings older than 30 years, and 51% for abandoned structures. A group of seven government MPs warned that the proposed consent thresholds are too low compared with international practice and could lead to gentrification at the expense of low-income tenants. Wong Chen (PH-Subang) noted that Hong Kong requires a 90% threshold for buildings under 50 years old, while Singapore sets an 80% threshold for those 10 years and older. 'With Malaysia having significantly more available land than Hong Kong and Singapore, we should not rush to lower this threshold. 'We strongly believe it should be set higher, at 85% for buildings older than 30 years and at 90% for those below, to protect the rights of homeowners and tenants, especially in social housing,' he said during a press conference. He pointed to a survey in Subang showing that nearly 73% of low-cost flat occupants were tenants rather than owners. 'This illustrates two fundamental issues. Firstly, social housing is primarily not owned by the underprivileged and thus their interests are not protected or improved by this Bill. 'Secondly, the gentrification exercise under this Bill will likely displace urban underprivileged tenants from the city centres,' Wong warned. He called on the government to engage further with the Parliamentary Special Select Committees on Infrastructure, Transportation and Communications, and on Women, Children and Community Development, as well as to commission a full social impact study before tabling the Bill again. Rodziah Ismail (PH-Ampang) also stressed that low-cost housing must be handled carefully. She expressed concerns over gentrification, which could push low-income residents out of urban areas and risks alienating voters. The MPs further proposed one-to-one replacement of redeveloped low-cost units to ensure genuinely underprivileged households are not left behind. Opposition chief whip Datuk Seri Takiyuddin Hassan also said the Parliamentary Special Select Committee on Infrastructure, Transport and Communications had already written to Nga, calling for the second reading to be postponed until unresolved issues raised in recent engagement sessions are settled. 'I am requesting here for the minister to delay the second reading. This is a request from the select committee itself because there are many pending issues,' said Takiyuddin. The Urban Renewal Bill, which contains 31 clauses, also empowers the Minister in the Prime Minister's Department (Federal Territories) to declare urban renewal areas in Kuala Lumpur, Putrajaya and Labuan. Developers approved to carry out projects must begin work within 24 months of declaration, though extensions can be granted. The Bill is expected to be tabled for second reading on Aug 27 before the Dewan Rakyat adjourns on Aug 28.
The Star
2 hours ago
- The Star
Polls in phases from Dec 28
The ruling junta released details of its long-awaited December election, saying the first voting phase would cover about a third of the nation's townships despite the conflict raging around the country. The military-led government announced yesterday that polls would be held in phases, starting on Dec 28, pushing the vote as a salve for a war that has consumed the country since the generals seized power in a 2021 coup. But vast tracts of the country are outside its control, democratic figurehead Aung San Suu Kyi remains jailed, and a UN expert has described the election as a 'fraud' to disguise continuing military rule. The junta has yet to set a full election timetable, but a notice published in state media said the first round of voting will take place in 102 of Myanmar's 330 townships. They include all townships in the sprawling and sparsely-populated capital Naypyidaw and around a quarter of those covering the commercial capital and largest city Yangon – home to seven million people. But the notice, printed in the Global New Light of Myanmar, suggested more limited ambitions in areas where the military is battling myriad opponents pledging to block the vote. Western Rakhine state, which is nearly entirely controlled by local ethnic fighters from the Arakan Army, will see voting in just three of its 17 townships on the first polling day. Northern Sagaing region – a stronghold of pro-democracy guerillas – will see ballots cast in about a third of its jurisdictions. The junta has not yet announced the dates of subsequent polling rounds, nor confirmed which townships will be included. Myanmar's last election in 2020 saw Suu Kyi's party win by a landslide before the military ousted her government, making unsubstantiated claims of voter fraud. The military has claimed a series of limited territorial gains against its opponents in recent weeks as it attempts to claw back ground ahead of the vote. It has also introduced prison penalties of up to 10 years for critics of the poll. — AFP
The Star
2 hours ago
- The Star
Secret military base near China expands nuclear threat
THE country has quietly built and operated a sprawling long-range missile base near the Chinese border that stores Kim Jong-un's most advanced strategic weapons, demonstrating the regime's ongoing efforts to advance its nuclear strike capabilities, a think tank said. The base in Sinpung, North Pyongan province, located 27km from the border with China, likely houses a brigade-sized unit equipped with six to nine nuclear-capable intercontinental ballistic missiles and their mobile launchers, a report by the Centre for Strategic and International Studies showed on Wednesday. 'These missiles pose a potential nuclear threat to East Asia and the continental United States. 'Current assessments are that during times of crisis or war, these launchers and missiles will exit the base, meet special warhead storage, transportation units, and conduct launch operations from dispersed pre-surveyed sites,' the report added, citing satellite imagery. Construction of the base began around 2004 and facilities were mostly built and operational by 2014, the report said. South Korea's Defence Ministry said it is closely monitoring North Korea's missile activities. The revelation comes just days after Kim called for the 'rapid expansion' of his country's nuclear weapons programme, ramping up tensions just as the United States and South Korea began joint military drills that Pyongyang views as a prelude to war. President Donald Trump and Kim met thrice during the US president's first term, but those interactions failed to convince Kim to curb the development of his nuclear weapons programme. Kim said earlier this week the only way to defend North Korea's security is to 'make enemies afraid' of North Korea and that its capabilities will be 'expressed through practical actions'. — Bloomberg
