Kuala Lumpur: The Selangor government has denied claims that it provided temporary rental houses in remote areas to victims of the gas pipeline fire in Putra Heights in Selangor on April 1. Selangor Housing and Culture exco Datuk Borhan Aman Shah stated that the temporary placements offered were based on vacant houses throughout the state, allowing victims the freedom to choose a location that suited their needs.

According to BERNAMA News Agency, Borhan provided an example of temporary rental houses offered at Pangsapuri Seri Suria in Kota Warisan. He mentioned that 100 vacant units were made available for victims through the Selangor SMART Sewa scheme. Borhan emphasized that victims have the advantage to choose a house to rent that suits their comfort, highlighting that the houses offered are new, rather than previously used or occupied.

Previously, there were allegations that the Selangor Government was offering temporary houses to victims of the Putra Heights incident in remote areas far from their original homes. On Monday, Borhan clarified that the government was offering 100 units of temporary rental houses at a rate of RM850 per month at the Sri Suria Apartment to the victims.

Borhan further mentioned that his office had received 75 applications for rental accommodation at Seri Suria Apartment, and the process was ongoing to enable eligible victims to move in. He explained that they assess the needs of applicants who do not own a house and, if found eligible, they are considered directly without requiring a deposit due to the special circumstances.

He also noted the importance of verifying applications with the district office to prevent potential oversights or exploitation, aiming to preempt any future issues. The fire on April 1 resulted in significant damage, with 81 houses destroyed with structural damage exceeding 40 percent, 81 partially destroyed, 57 affected but not burned, and 218 houses remaining unaffected, including those in Kampung Tengah Puchong.