By Amin Ridzuan Ishak
SHAH ALAM, Jan 21 — The major flooding that hit Selangor on December 18 last year should be a lesson in creating a more efficient warning system, in addition to raising societal awareness in facing disasters, said Bandar Baru Klang assemblyman Dato’ Teng Chang Khim.
He said the act of blaming ‘certain quarters’ should not have been done, as the floods last month was unexpected and exceeded Selangor’s disaster management capabilities.
Teng added that focus should instead be given to overcoming problems, such as the absence of a warning system fast enough to provide information so that victims can take action.
“Weather prediction should inform of the situation’s possibilities and potential damages, so the colour-coded warnings can be issued for residents to quickly evacuate, and not when the flood has already occurred.
“We do not have an information dissemination system to phone users nationwide, so when this (disaster) occurs, there are victims who refuse to leave,” he said in an interview with Media Selangor earlier today.
Teng also made reference to the remarks by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob during the special Parliamentary sitting yesterday, in which he claimed the heavy rainfall warning was ignored by ‘certain quarters’ directly involved in the state’s disaster management and forced the Federal government to intervene.
The assemblyman, who is also Selangor state executive councillor for trade and investment, said Ismail Sabri’s remarks were politically-oriented and immature. However, he also proposed an awareness programme in facing future disasters should be implemented and intensified, so the public can act quickly in the face of similar incidents in the future.
The extraordinary rainfall from December 17 to December 19 last year was twice the amount of the previously-recorded high of 180 millimetres, resulting in many locations in Selangor becoming flooded.
Subsequently, on December 21, the state government announced a RM100 million fund to kickstart the Selangor Bangkit programme, to address the flooding and its aftermath.
In addition to infrastructural repairs, the allocation also covers RM10,000 in aid to the families of victims who perished in the floods, and RM1,000 in aid to the heads of affected households, so they can restore their respective homes.
