SARAWAK-born Seman Idon was hoping to celebrate this Christmas with family and friends after Covid-19 lockdowns denied him of the chance to do so last year. His hopes were once again dashed – this time by a flood crisis that left his house submerged.

The 41-year-old father of two had planned to take his children shopping just before heavy rain hit the Klang Valley.

Seman was at work when he received a call from his wife telling him that their home was flooded and the water was rising quickly.

“I was not so worried when she called because I never thought it would get that bad,” said Seman who has lived in Taman Sri Muda in Shah Alam for 17 years.

Seman said he only realised the severity of the situation when he was stuck in traffic for three hours on his way home.

“Even on a motorbike, you couldn’t pass because the water was too high. I left my bike at my factory and walked about three kilometres home.”

“I walked in the rain and through the flood for hours. When I reached home, the water level was up to my waist. I took out my car battery and tried to save what I could. My wife and kids couldn’t help much to lift the heavy stuff at home,” he said.

Seman’s family is among the 37 households taking shelter at the Centre for Instructor and Advanced Skill Training since Monday.

Seman had received a package yesterday from his relatives in Sarawak – a family tradition that has lasted for more than a decade.

“Every Christmas, my family in Sri Aman will send us homemade t-shirts with Christmas greetings. I thought I would not get them this year because the flood was bad and the postman was never going to enter the area, but today the courier arrived at my home and delivered the t-shirts to my wife who was cleaning the house.”

“Maybe that is what we will wear tomorrow to celebrate. I don’t think we can go to church because we have lost our means of transport,” he added.

Seman and his family were trapped for about 48 hours in their double-storey house the Friday before last.

They were down to about a day’s rations of food and water when they were rescued on Monday.

“Our living room downstairs was completely destroyed. Nothing was saved. We managed to grab a pack of instant noodles and had no water to drink.

“My children were dehydrated; luckily our neighbours had some water which they passed to us through the windows using a long rope,” he stated.

Christmas presents lost

Mitwinraj, 10, who lives a couple of blocks away from Seman, is also feeling forlorn.

Floodwaters had washed away his clothes and toys, including his Christmas presents that his parents had bought for him.

“Again we are not celebrating Christmas this year. I was so happy and excited at first. I didn’t think the rain would disrupt Christmas.

“All of our belongings are gone. My room, which is downstairs, is damaged,” he said.

Sridevi, his 12-year-old sister, is also sad.

“My mother told me that she had bought me a gift for Christmas and I was excited.”

However, the gift was forgotten in the chaos that followed the floods. 

“By the time I remembered the presents it was already too late,” she said. 

Mitwinraj told The Malaysian Insight he was able to take his pets safely upstairs with him.

“My hamsters and my bird are safe.

“I was so scared. The water almost went up to the second floor, you couldn’t see anything down there because the water was muddy.

“We stayed upstairs for days waiting for help and food. In the morning, people came in small boats and gave us food but we were waiting to be saved,” he recalled.

His family, comprising him and his sister, his parents and an aunt, were evacuated early Monday morning.

Sri Muda was among the most severely flooded areas in Selangor.

Thousands of its residents were displaced overnight in one of the worst disasters in the state in decades.

The death toll was reported at 39 yesterday in Selangor and Pahang.

During a Ops Banjir daily press conference in Taman Sri Muda, Inspector-General of Police Acryl Sani Abdullah Sani said 10 others were still missing as of Thursday.

Pahang Fire and Rescue Department operations assistant director Ismail Abdul Ghani confirmed that recovery of the bodies of a father and his son who were reported among the missing. It is believed they were swept away by strong currents on a football field in Mentakab on Tuesday.

Salvage before aid

Flood evacuees at the relief centres in Section 19 and Padang Jawa said they haven’t thought about applying for government aid.

They said that they have been busy trying to salvage what they can and cleaning up after the floods.

“I heard there is aid but I haven’t read the full story. My mind is on something else. Of course I would welcome it but at the moment I am trying to retrieve my belongings but surely I will apply,” said Mohan, 45

Akmal Azri Asyraf said he would wait for the menteri besar’s announcement on Monday.

“It is not a problem to submit pictures or lodge a report. I understand they need proof but most of us here are occupied with cleaning.

“As you can see, many of us are going to the self-service laundry to wash our dirty clothes or we’re cleaning our homes. We welcome the aid and will apply for sure,” he said.

Seman said he was waiting to find out the details on Monday.

“I read the reports about assistance. If they need proof (of eligibility), I have it. Not a problem. It’s just that at the moment, I am thinking about my house and the things we have lost. It is just devastating.”

Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob has announced a RM100 million fund for post-flood repairs for homes and infrastructure.

He said Putrajaya would give more if necessary.

Each household affected by floods will get receive RM1,000, to be disbursed when they return home. – December 25, 2021