PUTRAJAYA: The Housing and Local Government Ministry will hold discussions with all state governments to determine if Block F of the Taman Keramat Permai flats in Ampang Jaya can be repaired or needed to be rebuilt.
Its minister, Zuraida Kamaruddin, said that under the National Housing Policy, the government is empowered to rebuild flats which were older than 30 years to ensure the safety and comfort of residents.
“The flats fall under the (purview of) the Selangor government, but we (the ministry) will contact them and the Selangor State Development Corporation (PKNS) to see what we can do to help.
“These flats are old... we should research (the issue) and have another look (at the National Housing Policy), then discuss with the state government whether the best thing to do is repair or rebuild,” she said after closing the New Village Management Committee Convention.
Zuraida said the ministry would despatch the Fire and Rescue Department to check on other old residential buildings which have been identified as being “at risk”, for the sake of the safety of residents.
222 residents of Block F of the Taman Keramat Permai flats had to be evacuated on Friday after the appearance of massive cracks on the walls of the four-storey building.
It was also reported that the building was said to have been leaning to one side following the appearance of the cracks.
Selangor Menteri Besar Amirudin Shari, who went to the scene to check on matters, had said that from what he could see, the building was indeed leaning slightly to one side.
The cracks were said to have appeared following heavy rain and the residents were asked to evacuate for their own safety and to allow checks and tests to be conducted on the structure and foundation of the building, as well as the ground.
Preliminary checks by experts from PKNS, the Ampang Jaya Municipal Council and Public Works Department showed that the ground was still actively moving and needed more detailed tests.