Hajiji handing over the RM500 state government aid to one of the victims.
PUTATAN: Villagers at Kampung Meruntum who have lost their houses in the fire on May 15 are allowed to rebuild them in the same area.
Chief Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor said that the land on which the houses were built belonged to the government.
“We give them the approval to rebuild their houses at the same site and live there,” he said when visiting the village where 35 houses were destroyed by the fire rendering 83 people homeless.
Hajiji told the media that the district officer will be monitoring the construction of the houses to ensure they are built systematically.
“Only those who have lost their house here in the fire will be allowed to build a house at the same site,” he said.
During the visit, Hajiji handed over the state government assistance of RM500 each to the household heads.
They also received RM500 worth of raw materials, RM500 worth of kitchen utensils, RM2,000 to purchase house construction materials, RM10,000 assistance from Sabah Baitulmal and RM48,000 aid from the Sabah Islamic Religious Council (MUIS).
As of 4pm today, the number of fire victims at the temporary placement centres (PPS) remained unchanged at 138 from three districts.
According to a Malaysia Civil Defence Force (APM) update, Putatan registered the highest number of victims at 79 from 25 families.
The victims were placed at two PPS in Putatan, with 64 at Dewan Serigai and 15 at Dewan Keramat.