PETALING JAYA: A fire victims’ rebuilding household committee has been formed by MCA to assist Kampung Baru Cina Karak villagers, says Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai.

       He said MCA would also seek assistance from the district office, and state and federal governments to help the villagers rebuild their homes.

       “I will go all out to help them. I have known them (the villagers) for a long time and my heart is always with them.

       “I feel sad for them. Going through the Covid-19 pandemic is already very bad and now with this fire disaster – it’s really double tragedy,” said the former Bentong MP.

       Liow said he was seeking donations from the public for the victims, adding that MCA president Datuk Seri Dr Wee Ka Siong and the Crisis Relief Squad of MCA (CRSM) had also contributed financial assistance to them.

       A fire which started at 9.10pm on Friday destroyed at least 48 houses and eight shops.

       Pahang Fire and Rescue Department director Wan Mohammad Zaidi Wan Isa said the close position of the houses to each other was believed to have caused the fire to spread quickly.

       However, there were no reports of casualties. Firemen in 10 engines managed to control the fire at about 12.10am.

       Liow, who was at the site yesterday, said villagers told him that they were in such a panic as the fire spread so quickly that they just could not save their belongings.

       “They only had time to save themselves. So they lost all their belongings.

       “One of the villagers rushed into a house to save an old lady who was in a wheelchair when the fire broke out.

       “I’m thankful that there were no casualties,” he said.

       Meanwhile, founder of Bentong Bersama Campaign Wong Siew Mun said during the fire, village chief Chen Yuet Thai and MCA Karak branch chairman Chiew Chee Man were helping the victims evacuate to a safer place.

       “The victims have moved either to a relative’s place or a friend’s house,” she said.

       Wong said MCA was also working with the authorities to assist the victims to apply for their identification documents, land grants, as well as plans to rebuild their homes.

       “We are helping them through the relevant government authorities. We need the Public Works Department to clear the area and then draft the blueprint to rebuild the area so that the new homes will be safer in the future.

       “The fire spread fast as the houses were all made of wood and were too close to one another,” she said.

       Wong, who is also MCA publicity bureau deputy chairperson, estimated that each house incurred at least RM100,000 in damages as some lost even their motorcycles, money and jewellery.