KUCHING: Tchee Foh Hin, whose son was killed in the CityOne mall explosion last December, will have a new house soon, thanks to cooperation between the state and federal governments.
The house will be built by the Fire and Rescue Department under its Rumah Sejahtera programme on a piece of land given by the state government, with funds from Stampin MP Chong Chieng Jen's MP allocation, as well as donations from the public.
Chong said the house plans have been drawn up by the Fire and Rescue Department, with construction to start after Chinese New Year.
"It will be on stilts because the land is quite low. The work will all be done by Fire and Rescue Department personnel.
"On our side, we will come up with the building materials. Also some kind-hearted persons will be giving donations for the materials," he said after meeting Tchee at his home in Stampin Baru here on Thursday (Jan 31).
Tchee is currently staying in a dilapidated wooden house on a plot of land which does not belong to him. His son, Kiam Jong, 24, was one of three victims who died in the mall explosion on Dec 4.
"After the incident, we visited the house and at that time, we said we would try to repair it, but the land is not his.
"Then the state government agreed to provide land for him to move to while we would come up with the funds to build the house, so it's cooperation between the state government and federal agencies," Chong said.
The land title for a 400-sq m plot at the Stampin Resettlement Scheme was issued to Tchee on Wednesday (Jan 30).
State Fire and Rescue director Khirudin Hassan said the project would commence on Feb 15 and take about two months to be completed.
"Looking at the condition of his house, we must start as soon as possible. It will be a comfortable house for the family," he said, adding that the cost of materials was estimated to be about RM76,000.
Tchee described the land and house as the best Chinese New Year ang pow of his life.
"I have never received such a big ang pow before. Of course I'm very happy to finally have land and a house of my own.
"I did not have anything before but now I will have property to leave to my children," he said of his two other sons.
Tchee also expressed gratitude to the government for giving him the land and to all those helping with the construction of the house.
"It shows that the government is willing to help people in need," he said.
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