Putra Heights: Syarikat Perumahan Negara Berhad (SPNB) will rebuild and repair 17 houses affected by the April 1 gas pipeline explosion in Putra Heights, Selangor, starting next week. SPNB chief executive officer Mohd Jamil Idris announced that this project involves 11 completely destroyed homes and six houses slated for renovation. The government has allocated a maximum of RM300,000 for rebuilding and RM150,000 for repairs.
According to BERNAMA News Agency, Mohd Jamil stated, “We have entered the area, and our contractors issued appointment letters to the affected residents this week. So, starting next week, they (the contractors) will start work at the site (of the affected houses). If we look at the data we have, so far, there are 17 houses. and this data may change.”
He conveyed this information during the Urban Community Sustainability Programme (PKKB) and SPNB Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) Programme in Taman Desa Kuala Muda, officiated by SPNB chairman Datuk Mohd Azmi Mohd Lila.
The gas pipeline fire on April 1 resulted in flames reaching heights of over 30 metres, with temperatures soaring beyond 1,000 degrees Celsius. The disaster led to the complete destruction of 81 homes, with structural damage surpassing 40 percent, 81 homes partially damaged, 57 homes affected but not burned, and 218 homes remaining unaffected.
Meanwhile, Mohd Azmi revealed that SPNB plans to construct 5,450 houses under the Rumah Mesra Rakyat (RMR) project nationwide this year, with an allocation of RM504 million. This initiative aims to assist B40 and low-income groups in owning homes. As of May, SPNB has implemented about half of their target and aims to complete it by the end of the year.
He explained, “We build these houses quite fast, in three months, mostly using conventional methods as well as IBS (Industrialised Building System), but there may be issues in terms of slight delays (for certain applications) because (there are) necessary processes.”
Mohd Azmi highlighted that the eligibility criteria for owning an RMR home include a household income not exceeding RM5,000, not currently owning a house, and having their own land. He added, “The construction cost for each house is RM75,000, namely RM20,000 in the form of a government subsidy and the remaining RM55,000 as an interest-free loan. The monthly repayment is RM300 for about 16 years.” Since 2002, a total of 73,279 RMR units have been built nationwide.
For the programme held today, the Ministry of Housing and Local Government (KPKT) contributed RM38,950, while SPNB provided RM10,000. Additionally, SPNB and Progressive Impact Technology Sdn Bhd donated a 4kWp solar panel system worth RM18,540 to educate the community on electricity savings, environmental friendliness, renewable energy, green technology adoption, and promoting a healthier environment.