SEPANG: Action can still be taken against those found responsible for the Putra Heights inferno if evidence emerges in the future, says the Selangor government.
Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Amirudin Shari said state authorities could still pursue their own course of action even though the police have classified the case as “no further action”.
Amirudin said a special state government committee is looking into the Occupational Safety and Health Department (DOSH) report into the gas pipe line explosion, which was released on June 30.
The DOSH report said the pipeline had been damaged by weak soil beneath the pipes, which caused gas to leak and ignite.
“The report will give an idea of what happened and who could be the responsible party.
“Anyone who wants to check the findings will be able to do so. I have no issue with the report being scrutinised,” Amirudin told reporters yesterday after launching the Sepang Municipal Council, Selangor Local Draft Plan 2035 (Amendment) Publicity and Public Participation Programme.
Amirudin was responding to criticisms from Putra Heights residents and some politicians who disputed the government’s findings.
“There is a party disputing the report and accusing it of spinning the story,” he added.
“Perceptions must be backed by accurate and scientific proof, which is what is being done,” he said, referring to the state’s special committee set up to review the findings and propose follow-up actions.
The pipeline fire on April 1 caused widespread destruction, including to 81 homes that suffered more than 40% structural damage.
Another 81 houses were partially destroyed, while 57 were affected but not burned.
Elaborating on the police’s investigation, Amirudin said the force had recorded statements from 212 witnesses before ruling out negligence or criminal elements.
Among the witnesses were Subang Jaya City Council officers, the developer of a project near the site, security guards, excavator operators and PETRONAS staff.
He said the report was compiled independently and without the involvement of the state.
Meanwhile, Putra Heights residents who were affected by the fire expressed disappointment in the findings.
“We are surprised and disagree that there was no negligence involved,” said Putra Harmoni Residents Association vice-chairman Francis Koh Eng Tiong.
He added that the findings seemed incomplete, lacked impartiality and reflected investigators’ failure to find out what caused the soil beneath the pipes to move.
Residents had lodged reports to the Subang Jaya City Council more than three months before the incident with visual evidence of heavy equipment and construction material near the explosion site, he added.
Koh said an independent party should be appointed to carry out further investigations and provide measures to prevent a recurrence of such incidents.
Other residents also told The Star that the relevant authorities should keep affected residents updated on future plans and remedial actions at the site.
“They should provide written technical reports or summaries in layman’s terms to rebuild trust.
“Let this incident serve as a reminder that in times of crisis recovery, engineering precision must go hand-in-hand with empathy and community engagement,” they said.
