BANDAR BAHARU: The Kedah Regional Development Authority (Keda) said the 13 houses destroyed in a fire in Tanjung Dawai were not located in a housing scheme under its jurisdiction.
"Firstly, Keda wishes to express our sympathy over the fire tragedy that engulfed 13 units of houses in Tanjung Dawai on Sunday. However, we want to clarify that the affected houses are not under Desa Keda," Keda general manager Ismasuhaimi Shariff said.
A fire gutted 13 houses in the coastal village of Tanjung Dawai yesterday morning, leaving a man in his 30s with burns on his legs and arms as he attempted to escape.
Ismasuhaimi said there was confusion about the status of the houses as they are located next to a settlement formerly known as Tanjung Dawai Keda Housing Scheme, he said.
The 30 houses referred to as Tanjung Dawai Keda Housing, located adjacent to the fire site, were handed over to the Malaysian Fisheries Development Authority (LKIM) on Oct 27, 2013, he said.
Meanwhile, Ismasuhaimi said Keda, an agency under the Rural and Regional Development Ministry (KKDW), has awarded land titles to over 50 per cent of participants under its housing schemes in Kedah.
Since 2015, the process of awarding land titles to 5,086 house owners under Keda housing schemes — comprising 3,860 units under the People's Housing Scheme (PPRS) and 1,226 traditional homes — has been ongoing.
"We have presented land titles to 2,004 participants, with 1,522 under the PPRS schemes and 482 under traditional homes.
"Last year, Keda allocated RM3 million for land premiums and other costs to transfer land titles for 1,533 participants.
"We wish to thank the federal government and the KKDW for approving an RM5.386 million allocation to process the remaining land titles," he said after presenting land titles to 59 recipients today.
The residents are from Keda Sungai Tengas (four), Desa Keda Sungai Buluh (48), and Desa Keda Leret (seven).