KUALA LUMPUR: Residents of Taman Keramat Permai flats’ Blok F here were relieved to return to their homes yesterday, after their building was judged structurally sound by the Selangor State Development Corporation (PKNS).
The residents, who spent a week at a temporary evacuation centre after a large crack was found in the building, were busy shifting their belongings back to their units and carrying out cleaning-up work, yesterday evening.
Azizah Ansari, 60, told Bernama that she was grateful to be able to return to her home after living in a tent for a week – and just in time for Ramadan.
“It was a relief when I heard the news that the building is safe for occupation,” said Azizah, who had been living at the flats since 2000.
Ismatu Rahim, 33, who runs a retail business at the block, said she was happy to be able to resume her business after shuttering her shop following the authorities’ order to evacuate the building.
The mother of three could not stop thanking authorities who were helping her reopen her business, which is her family’s sole source of income.
Naseri Abdul Rahim, 49, a babysitter, also expressed her gratitude for being able to return to the comfort and safety of her home in time for the fasting month.
She had been one of 200 residents of Blok F who were directed to evacuate on April 27 after a major crack was detected in the building, and fears were raised that it could collapse.
The 37 families were initially housed at Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan Taman Keramat, before they were shifted to Taman Keramat’s AU2 multipurpose hall.
On Thursday, after assessing the crack, the Public Works Institute of Malaysia (Ikram) and Z & A Consulting, which had been appointed by Selangor PKNS, announced that the building was structurally sound.
Selangor State Disaster Management Unit chief Ahmad Fairuz Mohd Yusof said the assessment was made based on data collection and consultancy evaluation which began on May 1.