29/05/2025

THURSDAY | MAY 29, 2025

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Residents grappling to move on after gas pipeline blast

would involve three vans to provide access to existing bus services, including routes 301 (Weld Quay – Relau), 302 (Weld Quay – Batu Maung), 303 (Weld Quay – Bukit Gedung), 304 (Gurney Promenade – Bukit Gedung), 306 (Hospital – Penang International Airport), 308 (Sungai Nibong – Gertak Sanggul), 401 (Weld Quay – Teluk Kumbar), 401E (Weld Quay – Balik Pulau) and CT13 (Bayan Baru – Seberang Jaya). He said two vans for the Bertam zone would connect commuters with routes 601 (Penang Sentral – Kepala Batas), 606 (Bukit Mertajam – Kepala Batas) and 610 (Kepala Batas – Tasek Gelugor) to reduce waiting time for these routes. “The Balik Pulau zone will also have two vans for the first and last mile access with existing bus routes, namely routes 401E (Balik Pulau – Weld Quay), 403 (Balik Pulau – Pulau Betong), 404 (Balik Pulau – Pantai Acheh) and 502 (Genting Town, Balik Pulau – Weld Quay). “The Transkrian or Nibong Tebal zone also involves two vans that will operate specifically in the Transkrian area to connect communities with the Rapid Penang bus service network, while three vans will be for the Batu Kawan zone, which is an industrial, commercial and residential hub that has yet to have a public transport network around it,“ he said. – Bernama Ensure livestock health before sacrifice: Exco PORT DICKSON: Individuals or organisations planning to perform qurban (sacrifice) in conjunction with Aidiladha must comply with the conditions and regulations set by the Negeri Sembilan Veterinary Services Department, including ensuring that the livestock has a valid Veterinary Health Certificate. Negeri Sembilan Rural Development, Plantation and Commodities, Agriculture and Food Security and Cost of Living Committee senior chairman Datuk Seri Jalaludin Alias said this is to ensure the animals are free from diseases, Bernama reported He said all parties involved must also ensure any livestock movement is accompanied by a Livestock Transfer Permit and an External Slaughter Permit if the slaughter is to be conducted outside a licensed abattoir. “If all rules and regulations are adhered to, individuals or organisations involved are encouraged to register with the e-qurban system monitored by the Negeri Sembilan Islamic Religious Affairs Department. “The state government wants to ensure that the sacrificial rites are carried out in a more orderly manner,” he said after officiating at the closing ceremony of the Women Empowerment and Rural Education Tour programme at the Port Dickson District and Land Office auditorium on Tuesday.

GEORGE TOWN: Rapid Bus Sdn Bhd (Rapid Bus) will expand its Rapid Penang On-Demand service through a three-month Proof of Concept (POC) phase starting May 31, involving seven zones. Prasarana Malaysia Berhad group chief operating officer (operations) Amir Hamdan said the seven zones were identified based on local demand, population density and the need to improve connectivity. He said the first zone – the Alma zone – will be serviced by four vans to connect passengers with existing bus routes such as (No.) 708 (Bukit Mertajam – Junjung), 801 (Penang Sentral – Nibong Tebal) and 802 (Bukit Mertajam – Nibong Tebal). “Next, the BM (Bukit Mertajam) City zone will operate with three vans in the Central Seberang Perai town centre, which provides a solution for first and last mile access as well as through better interconnection with the existing bus network. “This involves routes 606 (Bukit Mertajam – Kepala Batas), 701 (Bukit Mertajam – Penang Sentral), 702 (Bukit Mertajam – Penang Sentral), 707 (Bukit Mertajam – Taman Pelangi), 708 (Bukit Mertajam – Junjung), 709 (Penang Sentral – Machang Bubuk), 802 (Bukit Mertajam – Nibong Tebal) and CT14 (Bukit Mertajam – Komtar),” he said in a statement on Tuesday. Amir said the Bayan Baru zone was used in the project sank into the ground during the blast. It has since been located but has yet to be retrieved. In response to the tragedy, the Selangor state government allocated RM6,000 in rental assistance for three months to 445 eligible families. Further aid for rental extensions is expected in July or August, according to Selangor Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Amirudin Shari. Housing and Local Government Minister Nga Kor Ming also announced that RM40 million has been allocated to support repairs and reconstruction for affected homes. The amount of aid provided will depend on the extent of damage sustained. Homes that suffered over 40% damage and require complete rebuilding are eligible for up to RM300,000. For houses with more than 40% damage but not in need of full reconstruction, the maximum assistance is RM150,000. Properties with less than 40% damage can receive up to RM30,000. Sime Darby, the master developer of Putra Heights, has been tasked with supporting restoration work, while SPNB is overseeing the reconstruction of homes in Kampung Kuala Sungai Baru.

Kamisah said her family hopes to return to the area – even with its proximity to the pipeline. “Rent is cheaper there, and it’s a much more peaceful environment. After the incident, we and our neighbours became even closer,” she said. Another affected resident, civil servant Aziah Puteh Azib, 55, shared a similar experience. Her late father’s house in Kampung Kuala Sungai Baru was completely destroyed in the blast, forcing her and her husband to relocate to Bandar Sri Damansara. “The residents have met Syarikat Perumahan Negara Berhad (SPNB), which has been appointed to rebuild homes in our village,” she said. Although grateful, Aziah admitted that the new house won’t match the sentimental value of the original, which was built using rare timber that is no longer available in Malaysia. “We asked around and were told that the kind of wood used back then can only be sourced from Singapore,” she added. Aziah also chose not to speculate on the contractor’s identity. According to previous reports, the contractor had been conducting earthworks just 30m from the explosion site. An excavator which

o In addition to being displaced, affected individuals have not received conclusive information about cause of explosion

Ű BY IKHWAN ZULKAFLEE newsdesk@thesundaily.com

“We might find some closure if someone would just take responsibility for the devastation that has impacted so many of us,” she said. Since the incident, Kamisah and her family have been displaced. They are currently living in a flat near Shah Alam, after a brief stay in a rented Airbnb unit arranged by her father-in-law. “My father-in-law introduced us to the owner. The unit was actually up for sale, but the owner agreed to rent it to us temporarily because of our circumstances. “Thankfully, our children’s schools are nearby. My husband drops them off on his way to work, and I pick them up later. They’re in their final year of school, so we’re really reluctant to move them,” she added. Her eldest child is 17, the second is 12, and the youngest is four. Their previous home in Kampung Kuala Sungai Baru was severely damaged and rendered uninhabitable. Despite the trauma,

PETALING JAYA: Nearly three months after a devastating explosion in Putra Heights that shattered lives on the second day of Hari Raya Aidilfitri, residents are still grappling with unanswered questions and an uncertain future. Kamisah Khamis, 48, told t heSun although she and her family have resumed their daily routines, they have yet to recover from the trauma of watching their home go up in flames. When asked whether any authorities had reached out to the affected residents, she said no one had come forward to explain what caused the explosion or who was responsible. “There have been some discussions in our WhatsApp group – we’ve talked about compensation and other matters. But one thing is still unclear – my family and I have no idea who the contractor was.

Rapid Penang on-demand service expands to 7 zones

HISTORICAL DRAW ... Australian tourist Patrick Anderson viewing the tomb of Captain Francis Light, founder of the British settlement in Penang, at the Old Protestant Cemetery in George Town.

Asean heritage nominations for two Sarawak national parks

KUCHING: Bako National Park in Kuching and Bukit Lambir National Park in Miri have been nominated as Asean Heritage Park sites, said Sarawak Deputy Premier Datuk Amar Awang Tengah Ali Hasan. Awang Tengah, who is also state second minister of Natural Resources and Urban Development, said the nomination had been assessed by the Asean Centre for Biodiversity. “The results are expected to be announced in September,” he said

during the winding-up session at the state legislative assembly sitting yesterday. He added that the nomination followed the recognition of the Niah National Park cave complex in Miri as a World Archaeological Heritage Site by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation last year. Awang Tengah said the Sarawak government has gazetted 2.1 million hectares as total protection areas,

comprising 874,000 hectares of land and 1.2 million hectares of marine waters. “The Sarawak Forestry Corporation has also signed memoranda of understanding with the Sarawak Infectious Disease Centre for zoonotic disease studies, the Sarawak Biodiversity Centre for technical cooperation on biodiversity and the Universiti Malaya for genetic research.“ – Bernama