KETARI assemblyman Young Syefura Othman today panned former tourism minister Nazri Abdul Aziz for suggesting that the annual floods could serve as a tourist attraction. 

She said Nazri has failed to show sympathy for the victims of the devastating floods.

“It is wrong for the government (to view their misfortune) as a source of income… Where is Nazri Aziz’s sympathy for the victims?” she said.

Yesterday, in an interview with Sinar Daily, Umno lawmaker Nazri said the country should seek opportunities during hard times instead of crying over events that were beyond its control.

Nazri, who is the Padang Rengas MP, said the floods were an opportunity to promote volunteer tourism.

“IMaybe we can have voluntary tourism where people come to the country to help us with the floods; it is not about them coming here just to enjoy themselves but to learn,” he told Sinar Daily.

Young Syefura said today that while she supports ideas that are outside the box to help the country progress, Nazri appeared to be detached from reality.

She said Ketari constituency was one of the areas worst affected by the flood disaster of December 2021. 

“Many tourist attractions in the area, in Janda Baik in particular, have yet to be repaired. What’s more, infrastructure such as bridges and roads have not been fixed by the federal and state governments,” she said.

“I would like to invite people to the Ketari area, which has yet to receive post-flood assistance, to listen to the complaints of the flood victims. 

“Perhaps in this way deaf and blind leaders can better understand the feelings of the people who are still suffering after all their possessions and lives were swept away by the waters.”

Muda president Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman also criticised Nazri for his flood tourism idea.

The Muar MP said instead of looking to profit from the deluges that affect lives and livelihoods, the government should resolve the problem of floods. 

He said floods this year alone have claimed more than 40 lives and cost RM6.5 billion in losses.

“There should be pragmatic efforts to resolve the floods, not encourage them,” he said in a statement.

Twitter users said instead of turning floods into an attraction, the government should work on preventing the disasters. – June 19, 2022.