KUALA LUMPUR: The Education Ministry will provide RM1,000 in aid to its staff, teachers and students affected by the gas pipeline fire at Putra Heights, Selangor.
Minister Fadhlina Sidek said as of yesterday, 107 teachers and students had been identified as affected, with four still receiving treatment in hospital.
She said the aid will be disbursed as soon as possible after data has been collected and verified by the Selangor Education Department (JPNS).
“The ministry’s staff and students are among those impacted by the incident, including children from 23 schools in the area. JPNS has also informed me that some of the victims have lost everything.
“So I have also asked them to provide assistance, which is also supported by Yayasan Guru Tun Hussein Onn and Yayasan Didik Negara,” she said after visiting the victims at the relief centre at the Putra Heights mosque yesterday, Bernama reported.
Fadhlina added that the ministry would deploy a team of counsellors and academic support staff to the relief centre.
“I have instructed the state education department to closely monitor the situation.
“The affected children will be observed daily to ensure all necessary support is provided to them.”
She also reaffirmed the ministry’s commitment to safeguarding the welfare of its staff and students as they navigate the challenging ordeal.
Elsewhere, steps are being taken to ensure no disruption to the power supply in the Klang Valley following the incident, says Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Fadillah Yusof.
Even though some power plants use gas to generate electricity, initial reports indicate that the power supply has not been impacted as of yet.
“When a leak occurs, the affected pipeline will shut down, potentially impacting the power supply.
“But the report I have received so far is that we can still ensure stable power supply for this week,” he told reporters at his Hari Raya open house in Kuching yesterday.
Fadillah, who is also Energy Transition and Water Transformation Minister, said his ministry was looking into appropriate measures if gas cannot be supplied to the affected power stations next week.
“PETRONAS will look for ways to supply the gas. If necessary, we will look into restarting old power stations that do not use gas to ensure that power supply in the Klang Valley is not disrupted.”
Fadillah also said his ministry was carrying out an integrity audit on the power infrastructure in the affected area, adding that no electricity cables were affected so far.
“We are monitoring the situation to ensure that the integrity of the whole infrastructure is not affected,” he said.
Separately, Women, Family and Community Development Minister Datuk Seri Nancy Shukri said a mobile One-Stop Social Support Centre (PSSS) will be set up to provide counselling services to the victims.
“Some of them may feel depressed, especially those who were in the midst of celebrating Raya, so we will provide the PSSS to help them,” she said when met at Fadillah’s Raya open house.
Nancy also said the Social Welfare Department was working closely with PETRONAS and the Selangor state government to coordinate assistance.
She expressed gratitude to various organisations and individuals for donating food and other items.
“We will assist in other ways,” she added.
