Deepavali: New house cheer for fire victim

KUALA TERENGGANU: It was a fateful day for P. Ramachandran, 46, and his family on Sept 23 when their home was gutted by a fire, and they were looking at a bleak Deepavali this year.
However, yesterday he received the goods news – a People's Housing Scheme (PPR) unit, and the family can afford to smile again this Deepavali, which is being celebrated across the nation today.
"I am so happy to get this PPR unit. My family was forced to put up at the community hall in Kampung Pulau Kambing since the fire. It was rather difficult for us especially when we needed to go to the washroom at night because of the darkness.
"I wish to thank the Welfare Department for helping us to get this house in a very short time. I got the good news yesterday and it means so much to us because we were expecting to stay at the community hall for at least three months," said Ramachandran, who runs a soft drinks business.
He was speaking to reporters after receiving a personal contribution from Terengganu Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Ahmad Razif Abdul Rahman in conjunction with Deepavali. He received the contribution from the menteri besar's political secretary, assoc prof Dr Mohd Rozailan Ibrahim, at the community hall today.
On the day of the fire, Ramachandran, his wife Chua Bee Kim, 45, and their three children were participating in the Sultan Mahmud Bridge Run when their rented house went up in smoke at 6.30am; the fire believed to have been caused by an electrical short-circuit. — Bernama