PETALING JAYA, April 5 — Five days after the Putra Heights gas pipeline fire, some residents from both Putra Harmoni and Kampung Kuala Sungai Baru are beginning to wonder if any financial aid is coming their way.
A resident of the Putra Harmoni residential area, Coffee Tan, 50, said they have not received any aid from the state or federal government up to now.
“We’re still waiting, but it feels like we’re on our own.
“No one is updating us on what’s next. We’re only reliant on our Residents’ Association committee,” Tan told Malay Mail when met at Putra Harmoni.
Tan and his family moved to Putra Heights for its peace and tranquillity.
“We just moved in four months ago, and now this. Now we’ve moved back to Kepong temporarily (where we originally lived); we still have some relatives there,” he said.
Tan had registered for a temporary vehicle but has yet to get confirmation on whether his application was successful.
Chery Malaysia was among the first automobile companies to announce their sponsorship of 50 vehicles for affected residents.
However, Tan did not manage to get listed for this.
“So, we registered for another batch — EON (Edaran Otomobil Nasional Berhad) — but still have not received confirmation from them.
“It has been a nightmare to travel from Kepong to Putra Heights, and we always get last-minute notices on current developments regarding the status of our houses.
“We were supposed to get our house assessed; however, they postponed it, so we have to travel back to Putra Heights the next day.
“We are still working, so we have to plan our day accordingly. We cannot make last-minute plans,” said Tan.
As of today, Chery Malaysia has delivered 25 out of the 50 vehicles the company had announced for loan to affected residents for a month, while another 25 will be delivered next week.
Following that, automotive company Carro handed over 30 vehicles today, and Berjaya Group’s Carsome has delivered 20 vehicles today, with another 30 set to be delivered next week.
For Lee Weng Ken, a 42-year-old lecturer who suffered second-degree burns on his leg, he said that while he was grateful for the support from neighbours, he is uncertain how to move on from such significant losses.
“We lost everything. The car is gone, the house is damaged. We didn’t even have time to grab our belongings.
“I’m grateful for the support we’ve received from neighbours, but there is still so much uncertainty when it comes to aid and where we go from here,” he said, describing how the intense heat from the fire had ravaged his car and house, leaving them beyond repair.
When asked about government aid, Lee said he has yet to receive anything from the government.
“We are still waiting for the authorities to give clear instructions on what we should do.
“There is no clear information, no aid. There is nothing official. If they are going to help, they should let us know what’s available so we can plan,” he added.
Abdul Khaleeq Ehsan Ahmad Marzuki, 25, said his home in Kampung Kuala Sungai Baru is no longer habitable.
“If repairs can be done, we will go back. But it’s all just waiting now,” he said.
For now, he said the only aid he has received is a temporary car from Carro. Other than that, he is left with nothing.
Earlier today, the Yang di-Pertuan Agong Sultan Ibrahim presented personal contributions through the Yayasan Sultan Ibrahim Johor to affected residents.
Bernama reported that a total of 308 heads of households, who are sheltered at the temporary relief centre at the Putra Heights Mosque, received RM1,000 in cash.
Berjaya Group also handed over RM3,000 in cash to respective households’ representatives today.
However, a group of affected residents claimed that there was no clear communication on how the aid was distributed, resulting in some residents being neglected from both the Berjaya Group’s aid and the King’s personal contributions.
Kampung Kuala Sungai Baru resident Masri Ariffin said some residents’ names were neglected because there was no clear data collection on who the affected residents were.
“It’s been five days since the fire happened, how is it that the authorities still do not have all of our personal details and data for aid distribution purposes?
“I tried seeking clarification from our MP’s representative, but I was ignored. Some of us who are badly affected were not listed as recipients.
“Parts of my house were burnt, and my vehicles are damaged from the intense heat, but yet I was not listed as a recipient.
“The Welfare Department knows exactly which housing lots have been completely burnt; these should be recipients of aid, but not all were selected,” he told Malay Mail when contacted, adding that Puchong MP Yeo Bee Yin has not been seen at the temporary relief centre to meet with residents.
Several other residents from Putra Harmoni have expressed similar grievances. Up until now, there is still no clear communication from the authorities or state government.
“We are all just figuring our way around as the communication on the ground is all scattered; not everyone is aware of the latest updates.
“Now we have been told to wait for Monday (for government aid).
“While we are waiting, the rainfall continues to damage our already damaged houses,” the residents said.
Putra Harmoni and Kampung Kuala Sungai Baru residents have been displaced following a blast caused by a leak in a Petronas gas pipeline in Putra Heights.
The fire, which broke out at 8.10am on April 1 — the second day of Hari Raya Aidilfitri — was fully extinguished by 3.45pm.
However, a significant number of houses have been burnt to the ground by the intense heat.
While Putra Harmoni residents have been allowed to re-enter their houses to retrieve personal belongings, Kampung Kuala Sungai Baru residents have yet to see the remnants of their damaged property.
