It HAS been a year since the Putra Heights pipeline gas blast that forced the evacuation of Taman Putra Harmoni residents in Subang Jaya from their homes.
Loh Weng Fei, his wife Katie Phan and their two children have been living four to a room at a relative’s house ever since.
The cramped conditions necessitated one of their children to take up lodging at her school hostel.
“My daughter goes to school six days a week, so I only get to see her once a week. I miss her so much,” said Phan.
Victims of the blast have been trying to make peace with their circumstances.
“Now, we are just hoping for repairs to be finished so that we can move back in,” said another resident Yap Geok Wah.
During StarMetro’s visit to Jalan Putra Harmoni 1/3, where the April 1 blast occurred last year, ongoing repairs and rebuilding work were in varying stages of progress.
The first 4.5 months were the most difficult, said Putra Harmoni Residents Association (PHRA) vice-chairman Francis Koh, who spoke on behalf of residents.
“The Housing and Local Government Ministry (KPKT) had introduced the repair-and rebuild programme for those whose homes were destroyed.
“Letters of acceptance were prepared for those who agreed to the programme and by September 2025 works started.
“At the Amber section of the neighbourhood, we have 22 houses under this programme.
“They are mostly located along Jalan Putra Harmoni 1/3C and Jalan Putra Harmoni 1/3D.
“Of the 22, repairs for three were completed at the end of last December.
“Mine was one of the three,” he added.
Koh moved back in late January along with two other neighbours.
“During our engagement with KPKT, the developer, main contractor and Subang Jaya City Council (MBSJ) just before Hari Raya, we were told that residents could be looking at August as a possible date for repair completion,” said Koh.
He said residents encountered many challenges, including roofing issues.
“At first, only broken roof tiles were scheduled to be replaced but residents pointed out that the intense heat from the blast had compromised their durability.
“After our appeals, it was finally agreed that all the roof tiles would be replaced and the wooden roof trusses would be repaired,” he added.
Another issue he highlighted was the ministry’s undertaking to restore the houses only to their vacant possession condition.
“After 15 years, some of the houses had already undergone approved extensions.
“Yet repairs would only be carried out up to the houses’ original condition before the extensions.
“PHRA had also approached Petronas Gas Bhd (PGB) to cover damage not covered by residents’ insurance policies.
“After a series of town halls, PGB came back to us with a third-party insurance programme called Laman, which was announced last September.
“Now the more important thing is to ensure there are safety mechanisms in place when the gas pipeline is restored.
“We are asking PGB to put in more alerts that are visible, like alarms or lights when something happens such as pressure changes or when there is any leakage.
“PGB has also set up a WhatsApp group with the residents so that there is direct communication between both parties.
“In preparation for any future emergencies, PGB, the Fire and Rescue Department and MBSJ will be doing a safety route review.
“A fire drill will also be conducted,” Koh added.
When contacted, Kota Kemuning assemblyman S. Preakas said he was committed to ensuring residents received the compensation they deserved.
