THREE months after devastating floods in Hulu Langat, Selangor, the K-9 Cottage, an animal therapy centre in Sungai Lui, is still dealing with the aftermath.

Salehin Ibrahim, a former banker who runs the centre, said repair work has been difficult due to red tape, the centre’s remote location and lack of electricity supply.

While many volunteers visited the centre after his plight was highlighted in the news, Salehin said many came for self-gratification and to take selfies to post on social media. Little actual help was forthcoming.

“There is still about 70% of clean-up work that needs to be done,” Salehin told The Malaysian Insight.

“The full fencing is not done and my house is not done. I would say that things are still the same, except that I’ve cleaned up most of the mess.

“After almost three months, I’m still staying under the canopy,” he said, referring to his makeshift accommodation after his house was destroyed by the flood.

Hulu Langat was one of the worst-affected areas of flooding in Selangor in December, when several states in the peninsula were also struck.

Exceptionally heavy rain, attributed to the tail end of Typhoon Rai that lashed the Philippines, swept across the peninsula’s east coast and onto the central region, which is usually spared from year-end floods.

Salehin had to cling to a pole as the water level rose. Two of his dogs, Patch and Stoner, managed to swim to him and the three of them held on while waiting for the water to recede.

Apart from Patch and Stoner, he has three other dogs – Putih, Hitam and Koa.

“The dogs are doing well. They have enough food. Patch, however, suddenly started sneezing blood, but I haven’t been able to take her to the vet,” Salehin said.

Salehin’s car was damaged by the flood, rendering him without a vehicle.

“If anyone can come and do a health check-up on the dogs, especially Patch, that will be helpful.

“If anything happens to her… ” Salehin trailed off, unable to complete his sentence.

Not only was Salehin’s property damaged, his belongings, including solar panels that supply electricity to the centre built on a 1.5ha plot, were washed away by floodwaters.

A landslide behind his property also blocked off access to Sungai Gabai, and that, in turn, has created a new waterway that now runs closer to his site.

He has been using a backhoe to divert the waterway away from his property.

Salehin said he had to get a permit from the Forestry Department before he began work.

“I had to apply for a permit to use heavy machinery on my land. They have given me a permit for three months, so now I can use a backhoe and chainsaw,” he said.

The permit cost RM200 for three months with an additional RM50 for the chainsaw, he said.

Apart from the debris, Salehin also has to deal with numerous pipes running through his property.

The pipes supply water to a settlement downhill and run directly through Salehin’s land, and the owners have refused to remove them.

“There are pipes all over the property and it makes cleaning difficult. I asked the locals to remove them but they refused,” he said.

“The pipes are supplying water to an illegal immigrant squatter colony downhill of around 200 people. They are encroaching on my land.

“I’m now levelling the land and making sure the pipes are moved; they are all over the place. The new stream is still there, we are digging it out.”

No more volunteers please, donations welcome

While Salehin is grateful for the help rendered volunteers, he would rather engage the services of professionals with the donations he has received.

“I don’t want volunteers to come anymore. They usually end up leaving a mess that I have to clean up after them,” he said.

“There are not many volunteers now, they came to take pictures and post them on social media. Some just want to place their dog here,” he said, adding that despite him making it clear that his centre is not a shelter, he still gets a lot of enquiries.

“As it is, I’m already having problems with the locals who are unhappy (that I have dogs). I cannot be saddled with more dogs who will require long-term care. Not when I’m the one in need of help.” – March 6, 2022.