KUALA LUMPUR – Repair works for the Putra Ria apartments in Bangsar, which suffered extensive damage after a freak storm on Saturday, will be expedited, said Communications Minister Fahmi Fadzil.
Fahmi, who is Lembah Pantai MP, said this after visiting the site to assess the damage and meet the affected families this afternoon.
The storm resulted in serious structural damage to two out of three apartment blocks, with the roof of the 22nd floor of one of the buildings being particularly hard hit.
Fahmi said the storm had blown off parts of the roof, leading to major concerns about the safety and integrity of the building’s structure.
The minister estimated the cost of repairs to be around RM120,000.
“The damage to the roof is quite serious, and there is also an open section near one of the elevators, which could be problematic during rain,” Fahmi told reporters.
“We will discuss with the mayor this evening to expedite the repair work. Funding is available, and my allocation can be used for the repairs. Our priority is to ensure that the repairs start as soon as possible.”
In addition to the structural damage, the storm also caused damage to personal property. Five motorcycles and three cars were damaged by falling roof pieces. Fahmi assured that assistance would be provided to the affected vehicle owners.
Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL) has already stepped in to help three of the eight affected families. Fahmi expressed gratitude to DBKL for its prompt assistance and emphasised the need for thorough inspections of all three blocks to prevent future incidents.
“Besides repairing the immediate damage, I will request the management committee to conduct inspections on the roofs of all three blocks. If comprehensive action is needed, we will expedite it,” he stated.
Fahmi noted that contractors had suggested replacing the damaged zinc roof sections with a single sheet for improved safety.
The minister also said he hoped repair work could begin as soon as possible, but this depended on further discussions with DBKL for coordination on funding and logistics. – May 28, 2024