SHAH ALAM: The Selangor government is giving the police space to investigate the Putra Heights gas pipeline blast, says Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Amirudin Shari.
Describing the matter as ‘sensitive’ due to allegations that it was ‘protecting someone’, he added that the police could call up whomever it suspected as the investigations did not involve only one party but also the government.
Speaking at a press conference at the state secretariat yesterday, he said the probe involved many parties such as local councils and those who had given approvals at both state and federal levels, PETRONAS as the owner of the pipelines, the contractor of the adjacent development, the contractor who was appointed, as well as members of the appointment panels.
“All these people, I believe will be on the (police) list and the police have called 118 people so far. I have not been told who they are,’’ he added.
Amirudin said once the blast site has been stabilised, the technical team would inspect the structures to get a clearer picture of the incident.
He added that 270 houses have been deemed to be structurally safe and could be occupied after repair works are completed.
“This is based on the specification ascertained by the Fire and Rescue Department, whereby electricity and water supply can be channelled to the houses found fit for occupancy.
“For the houses with minor damage that can be repaired, there will be a standard allocation determined by the recovery committee,’’ he added.
Amirudin said the two temporary relief centres (PPS) in Putra Heights would be shut down by the end of the week beginning with the one in Dewan Camelia that closed its doors last night.
The Petaling District Office and Social Welfare Department, he said, would help relocate them to more comfortable accommodations.
Amirudin said for residents at the Putra Heights mosque relief centre, the registration process for homestays began yesterday and was expected to be completed by the end of the week.
Families that have been relocated, he said, would also be provided with free groceries such as rice, flour and cooking oil to last them a month.
Amirudin added that a mobile van from the Selangor Land and District Office would be dispatched to the field to issue replacement house titles and important documents free of charge to residents whose documents were destroyed in the fire.
To alleviate the affected residents’ burden, Amirudin also said the state’s top administrative officers, elected representatives and senior civil servants would contribute towards the relief fund that was set up for the blast victims.
He added that while state executive council members and top echelon civil servants would contribute RM1,000 each, state assemblymen would be donating RM200 each.
Local councillors and Grade 48 officers and above would respectively donate RM100 and RM50 each.
