THE prime minister’s promised RM1,000 aid for each flood-affected household will not be enough to make up for the damages, said victims.

Speaking to The Malaysian Insight, the flood-affected families said though they welcome the assistance, they have suffered massive losses that are nowhere near the promised aid amount.

Sufrina Mamadi, 48, a housewife from Rancangan Tanah Belia Labu Lanjut in Sepang, Selangor, described the situation at her house as a “total loss”.

She said floodwaters, which reached chest-level at her house, have damaged most of her household items.

“Inside my house is a total loss; electrical appliances, furniture, household items, all gone,” said the mother of three, who is currently taking shelter at SK Kampung Baharu Lanjut.

“I bought a new fridge recently and due to the floods, I will have to change it or send it for repairs. I do not know how much that will cost.

“We are glad that aid will be provided, but is it for us to recover from the flood or what, because the amount will never be sufficient. We cannot recover with the amount.”

The Malaysian Insight had visited several evacuation centres in Sepang to monitor the situation and speak to flood victims.

Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob had earlier today said the government will allocate RM100 million for post-flood repairs for homes and infrastructure affected by the natural disaster nationwide.

He said the amount is an initial funding and will be increased if insufficient, adding that heads of affected households will each receive RM1,000.

Salwa Ibrahim, 46, from Taman Dataran Abadi, Sepang, said she needs almost RM10,000 for post-flood repairs and replacements.

She said floodwaters, which reached past waist-level at her house, have damaged household items and stranded two of her cars.

“The waters were at waist-level. There was a lot of damage, including electrical appliances and furniture,” said the mother of four.

“Losses, excluding our two cars, which are trapped, I think should be about RM10,000.

“With what the prime minister announced, I think it will only suffice for cleaning the house because the situation is bad, and it will never be enough to cover the entire loss. In this case, we have to fork out the rest.”

Salwa, her husband and children arrived at the evacuation centre at about 5pm yesterday. She also brought her pet cats.

On how long she expects to remain at the centre, the bank officer said maybe another two nights.

“We went to scout our place at about noon today, but the water level is still the same. So, I expect another night or two here.

“We have pets and we had to bring them here, too.”

Around 50 houses in Taman Dataran Abadi are affected by the floods.

Dipping into savings

Another Taman Dataran Abadi resident, who wished to be known only as Ghani, echoed the other two flood victims, saying that the RM1,000 aid will not be enough to cover the cost of the entire loss sustained.

“My house is a single-story house. The waters were at knee-level when I left for the evacuation centre. I do not know if the water level has risen due to the continuous rain yesterday,” said the 46-year-old man.

“Most of my electrical appliances like the fridge and washing machine, as well as the bed and sofa were all gone. They could not be saved.

“To be honest, we welcome the government’s aid, but it will not be able to cover the cost of the entire loss. Maybe it will help a bit, but I will need to withdraw my savings for repairs and purchase of new items.”

The father of four said he has contacted his office to apply for leave for the next couple of days to clean and clear his house.

There are almost 50 tents erected at each evacuation centre visited, with most people spending time outdoors as the rain stopped.

During such a difficult time, a civil servant, who wished to be known only as Aisha, said any help is appreciated.

She said the government is trying to do its best in the current situation.

“Of course, we need help. Any sort of help in this situation is appreciated.

“Yes, surely there are damages and we have suffered losses, but at such a time, rather than demanding, we should accept whatever support or aid is given.”

Aisha and her three children are staying at an evacuation centre.

She said her husband decided to stay home and look after their belongings and pets.

“My husband told me to take the kids and leave. He decided to stay back and try to save things at home.

“There are also cats, so he needs to take care of the pets, too,” she said, adding that waters were at knee-level when she left her house.

More than 21,000 people are affected by the worst flooding in years – mostly in Selangor.

At least 15,000 people have been evacuated to more than 100 relief flood centres in Selangor.

Rescue efforts are still underway for those trapped in vehicles and outside their houses.

The Health Ministry said it will provide doctors and nurses, face masks, sanitisers and medication at all evacuation centres, and carry out Covid-19 tests to ensure flood victims are protected from the virus. – December 19, 2021.