By Danial Dzulkifly
SUBANG JAYA, April 1 — Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim has announced immediate financial aid for homeowners affected by the massive fire that broke out along the Petronas gas pipeline on Jalan Putra Harmoni, Putra Heights, this morning.
Speaking at the scene, he said households that were completely destroyed would receive RM5,000 in immediate assistance, while those with partial damage, accounting for over 100 homes, would be provided with RM2,500 each.
“Our priority is safety. I thank the Fire Department for their swift response, as well as the police for their prompt reporting.
“This cooperation has enabled Petronas and the (Selangor) state government to take immediate action,” Anwar said.
The Prime Minister, who visited the site with Selangor Menteri Besar Dato’ Seri Amirudin Shari, Petronas president cum group chief executive officer Tengku Tan Sri Muhammad Taufik, alongside the police, Fire and Rescue Department officials, and local authority representatives, said a thorough investigation will be conducted to determine the fire’s cause.
He stressed that while temporary relief centres (PPS) had been set up, a long-term solution is necessary, as the recovery process, like restoring the affected houses, could take up to a year or more.
“This is not like a flood disaster, where residents can return home within weeks. The responsibility to restore, repair, or replace these homes will be fully undertaken by the Federal government, Petronas, and the state government.
“With that, please do not worry, but it will take time,” Anwar said, adding that a meeting involving all relevant government agencies and community representatives will be held soon to discuss further assistance.
He also assured affected residents that all necessary resources would be mobilised to address the situation.
“I understand that this will take time, but rest assured, the full force of the government is working on it,” Anwar said.
The prime minister also acknowledged the role of local religious institutions in providing aid, thanking a temple committee and a mosque for offering their facilities as PPS.
When asked when affected residents could return home, Anwar urged patience, as local authorities had cordoned off the area due to safety concerns, including the risk of electrical fires.
“How can they return under these conditions? For now, they should not go back yet,” he said, before leaving the scene to visit Masjid Putra Heights, which has been turned into a PPS for displaced residents.
Currently, two neighbourhoods within a 290-metre radius of the fire have been classified as restricted areas until conditions are deemed safe for residents to return.
