ONCE bitten, twice shy, residents of Taman Sri Muda, Shah Alam and Hulu Langat in Selangor are doubtful if the federal and state authorities will be prepared to respond swiftly to future floods.

While they hope for improvements, those met recently after the severe flooding last month said they have devised plans to save themselves in the event of repeat floods.

In Taman Sri Muda, ambulance driver Mohd Anas, 51, said it is about the lack of action on the part of the authorities.

“I will move my wife and myself and our important belongings to a higher place at the first indication of floods,” he told The Malaysian Insight.

Recalling the country’s worst episode of flooding last year, Anas said in the first two days, he only saw civil society groups helping stranded residents.

“I saw authorities going around their boat but they were just surveying the place and did not provide food or help to rescue us.

“I was screaming for help as my wife is a diabetic and she needed her insulin,” he said.

Anas pulled through with the help of his superior who rented a boat and sent him and other neighbours food supplies.

He estimated losses in his home to be about RM12,000, so far. In addition, some of the medical equipment which he used for work that was kept at home was also destroyed.

“I hope my boss has insurance for these items because if not, it will cost me a huge sum,” he said.

Heavy rainfall before and over the weekend of December 17-18 caused massive flooding in several states, including parts of central Peninsular Malaysia such as Selangor, Malacca, Negri Sembilan, Perak and Pahang. This was unusual given that floods around that time of the year typically strike east coast states.

The floods displaced more than 70,000 people at its height and killed 54. Selangor was one of the worst-hit states where thousands had to be evacuated.

The reasons given by the authorities for their delayed response have failed to impress.

Menteri Besar Amirudin Shari said state agencies were prepared for the usual wet season in December, but there was more rain “than expected” on that weekend and water levels rose too quickly.

Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Abdul Latiff Ahmad, who oversees the National Disaster Management Agency (Nadma), responded to flak by saying it was only a federal-level agency that helped to coordinate the different agencies responsible for providing aid.

Subsequently, Amirudin and Selangor National Security Council (NSC) chairman Noh Omar disagreed about their respective jurisdictions under the state NSC.

Another Taman Sri Muda resident, Kaliswaran Manokaran, said he has few expectations if another flood was to occur.

Malaysia is expected to face a third phase of high tide from January 18-21 and January 31 to February 3.

Kaliswaran, 27, lost his job at a printing company after taking leave for more than one week to clean up his home.

He was out at work when the water level rose, causing his mother, sister and nephew to be stranded at home.

“They were stranded in the house for two days without proper food and drinking water.

“On the third day, when the water receded slightly, we managed to move them to a relative’s house,” said Kaliswaran who lives in a household of eight.

His family has suffered losses estimated at RM30,000. All six vehicles they own are damaged and the family is currently relying on a rented car to move about.

Bamah Govindsamy, 54, recounts being stranded for two days with no food.

When floodwaters dropped to waist-level on the third day, she and several family members decided to leave their home.

“My son-in-law carried his four-year-old child on his shoulders.

“We were lucky to live in a double-storey house. I cannot imagine the fate of those living in single-storey houses.

“Once all five of us got out of the house, we left for Banting where our cousins live,” said the housewife.

Homemaker Vanitha Krishnan, 52, also managed to get out of her Taman Sri Muda house on the third day of the floods.

“We needed a boat to get out since one of my daughters is handicapped and uses a wheelchair.

“Our relatives managed to get a boat to our house, and once we got out, we stayed in a hotel for a couple of days.

“I was afraid to go to the evacuation centre for fear of Covid-19,” she said.

Vanitha said she and the family have agreed that in future, if rain does not stop falling after a day, they will move out immediately.

Fireman Arif Zakaria, 28, was on duty at the time of the floods and could only return home to assess the damage on the fourth day.

“Luckily I live by myself so the only things I was worried about were my belongings,” he said.

Arif, who works part-time as a motorbike mechanic, said some of the motorcycles he had been repairing in his house were damaged as well.

“I’m grateful that the customers have been nice enough to understand my situation,” he said.

In Hulu Langat, Taman Sri Nanding Rukun Tetangga chairman Mohd Rozelan Alias said residents have begun buying large plastic storage boxes for their valuables.

“They are preparing ways to protect their belongings if floods hit again.”

Rozelan said although the authorities did help during the floods last month, they were “a bit too late”.

“Our area was inaccessible. So we only received aid after the second day.”

After three weeks, mud and debris had been cleared in about 80% of the housing area.

The majority of residents have moved back but face problems such as damage to doors, windows and electrical wiring.

“Cleaning up still continuing in homes. Some people have lost all their belongings. Government and civil society groups have donated things like stoves, rice cookers, mattresses, pillows and cooking gas cylinders.

Rozelan said what people need now are smaller items such cooking utensils and fans.

He added that first aid kits are also helpful as people get cuts, scratches and minor injuries while cleaning their homes.

Some 1,400 houses in Taman Sri Nanding were ravaged by the floods last December.

Rozelan said losses ranged from RM50,000 to RM100,000 per family. – January 19, 2022.