20/04/2026

MONDAY | APR 20, 2026

5

Inferno razes 1,000 stilt houses, leaves 9,000 homeless

Police probe brawl at nasi kandar eatery PETALING JAYA: Police are investigating a physical altercation that broke out at a nasi kandar restaurant in Bandar Rimbayu, Telok Panglima Garang, on April 15. Kuala Langat district police chief Supt Mohd Akmalrizal Radzi said a report regarding the incident was received at 2.07am. Initial investigations showed the conflict was triggered by a misunderstanding between two groups after an individual was reprimanded for smoking within the premises. “The altercation escalated into a quarrel, and members of both groups subsequently assaulted one another,” Akmalrizal said in a statement. He added that the case is being investigated under Section 160 of the Penal Code. A 52-second video of the brawl was also shared on social media. The video showed a commotion at the outdoor dining area, with several customers seen leaving their tables, while bystanders attempted to de-escalate the situation. Those with information are urged to contact the nearest police station or the Kuala Langat district police headquarters operations room. – BY FAIZ RUZMAN Penang cops seeking foreigner over murder case BUKIT MERTAJAM: Penang police are actively tracking down a Myanmar national who is the main suspect in the murder of a fellow countryman at Lorong IKS Juru 5, Simpang Ampat here on April 5. State police chief Datuk Azizee Ismail said the identity of the man, believed to be in his 30s, has been established, and he is believed to be still in the country as there is no record of him leaving. “The manhunt for the main suspect is ongoing while his three friends, who were detained a day after the incident, will be released on police bail. “The two men and one woman were remanded for seven days until April 13 before their remand was extended for another seven days to assist in the investigation,” he said when contacted by Bernama yesterday. He also urged the public with information on the main suspect to contact any police station. In the incident, a Myanmar factory worker was killed after he is believed to have been stabbed by an acquaintance of the same nationality at the roadside of Lorong IKS Juru 5. The suspect is said to have informed a friend about the incident, and the friend relayed the information to police. The 53-year-old victim was found lying face down by the roadside with stab wounds.

Ű BY FAIZ RUZMAN newsdesk@thesundaily.com

part of it to collapse along with the hoarding,” he said. He urged all parties involved in the project to extend full cooperation to the authorities and comply with all technical instructions issued. Alexander also said the ministry will continue to monitor developments from time to time and ensure that follow-up actions are taken in a transparent and responsible manner, with a focus on public safety. “I extend my sympathies to the affected residents and assure them that the ministry is committed to ensuring that recovery, stabilisation and preventive measures are implemented as quickly as possible so that such incidents do not recur,” he said. – Bernama Department chief Jimmy Lagung said firefighters arrived at the scene at 1.48am after travelling about 15km, but access constraints posed major challenges. “Firefighters faced difficulties reaching the scene due to narrow access roads, which hindered the movement of fire engines,” he said. “Strong winds and the close proximity of houses caused the fire to spread rapidly, while low tide conditions also made it difficult to obtain an open water source.” He said the fire razed about 1,000 non-permanent stilt houses across an estimated 10-acre area, leaving the settlement almost entirely destroyed. The blaze was brought under control at 8.43am, with operations concluding at noon. A total of 37 firefighters from the Sandakan and Kinabatangan fire stations were deployed, assisted by the Sandakan zone drone unit and Karamunting volunteer firefighters. Kampung Bahagia village chief Sharif Hashim Sharif Titing said nearly 90% of the settlement had been destroyed, marking the third major fire after similar incidents in 1994 and 2001. “Thankfully, there were no casualties. We hope there will be assistance for the affected residents from the relevant authorities, including the Social Welfare Department,” he said. George said the cause of the fire was under investigation. Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim said the federal government was working closely with the Sabah administration to ensure immediate assistance and temporary shelter for those affected. “The priority now is the safety of the residents and immediate assistance on the ground,” he said, while expressing shock at the scale of the disaster. Sabah Chief Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor said state agencies had been mobilised to expedite relief efforts. “The priority is to safeguard their welfare and comfort, including through the provision of temporary shelters, basic necessities and food,” he said.

o Firefighting operations hindered by narrow access roads, densely packed structures and flames spreading fast due to strong winds

PETALING JAYA: An inferno tore through the Kampung Bahagia water village in Sandakan yesterday, destroying about 1,000 stilt houses and leaving more than 9,000 people homeless in what is said to be the worst fire recorded on Sabah’s eastern coastline. The blaze, which broke out at about 1.30am, spread quickly across densely packed wooden houses, fanned by strong winds. Narrow access routes further hampered firefighting efforts, delaying crew from reaching the core sections of the fire.

affected, involving 9,007 residents,” he said in a press conference yesterday. George said three temporary relief centres had been set up at Sandakan, Batu Sapi and SK Kampung Gas, while registration of victims was ongoing to facilitate aid distribution. No fatalities were reported at press time. Sandakan Fire and Rescue

Sandakan police chief ACP George Abd Rakman described the incident as the largest fire ever recorded in the district, with the area declared a disaster zone at 4am. “Police received a call at about 1.30am and we immediately moved to coordinate the emergency response at the district level. “This area has about 1,200 houses, and some 1,000 of them were

Kampung Bahagia residents affected by the fire moving their furniture and other household items to a safer place. – BERNAMAPIC

Conduct investigation into wall collapse: Minister KUALA LUMPUR: The Public Works Department (PWD) has been

completion of works under the Bukit Kiara Federal Park Administrative Zone Development Phase 1B at Jalan Abang Haji Openg collapsed following heavy rain. He said preliminary reports showed that heavy rain between 3.30pm and 5.30pm caused water overflow from the project site. Initial observations indicate that water capacity from the hillside caused an earth bund to rupture and flow into a silt trap. “The public drainage system downstream was found to be unable to effectively accommodate the flow, partly due to the presence of utility obstructions at certain sections, which led to water ponding, overflow onto the public road and exerted pressure on the existing retaining wall, causing

“The Works Ministry will not compromise on matters involving public safety,” he said in a Facebook post yesterday. He added that immediate action has been taken at the location, including clearing works at the incident site, removal of a hoarding along Jalan Abang Haji Openg, installation of concrete barriers with geotextile over a stretch of about 200m, as well as desilting works and repairs to the Erosion and Sediment Control Plan system at the construction site. Alexander said the measures were important to stabilise the situation and reduce subsequent risks. On Saturday, the retaining wall near the project site for the

instructed to carry out a detailed technical investigation to determine the cause of the flooding incident that led to the collapse of a retaining wall near Phase 1B at Jalan Abang Haji Openg in Taman Tun Dr Ismail (TTDI) on Saturday. Works Minister Datuk Seri Alexander Nanta Linggi said PWD has also been directed to assess the structural integrity of the affected area and recommend additional mitigation measures without compromise. “Any weaknesses in terms of implementation, supervision, technical compliance or site management must be identified and addressed immediately.