Self-taught electrician helps bring light back to flood victims

KUALA LUMPUR – Growing up in a poor family with parents who earned a living out of minimum wages in the plantation sector, P. Puvaneswaran grew up with the constant fear of the electricity supply being cut in his house in Pulau Carey.

Determined to make a change, he started learning about electronics and electrical wiring on his own and by following others to work about 20 years ago.

Now, at 43, the father of two can call himself a proud, self-employed electrician and wireman.

While not exactly living the high life, Puvaneswaran feels he knows what it is like to live in darkness, having struggled his own way out of adversity.

This is why when the recent floods that wreaked havoc across the country caused power outages in so many homes, he felt compelled to help – and so he did.

Puvaneswaran is now going around providing free repairs for electrical appliances and wiring for houses affected by the floods.

“I have lived a very difficult life, so I know what it’s like to live without electricity. I have experienced living in the dark at night. I don’t want anyone else to go through that feeling,” he told The Vibes.

“When I spoke to some of the house occupants, many of them cried saying they have not had electricity for four days. It made me sad too, and this kept me motivated.”

Puvaneswaran, who has three other employees under his wing today, said he did not mind offering free service to victims who may have already suffered thousands of ringgit in damages.

“It’s the least I can do. I am still getting income from the work done by other employees outside the flood-hit areas.”

According to him, the response from flood victims seeking his service has been so overwhelming that his schedule is packed for the week.

He said on average, he visits between 15 to 20 houses a day to conduct repairs, but admitted that the traffic congestion in certain locations has slowed him down.

“Sometimes, I am only able to visit six houses because certain VIPs choose to come to that area as well. So the entrance to the locations will be very congested.”

Puvaneswaran is one out of a long list of good Samaritans – which includes the popular Abang Viva and Dr Shalini Devi Ramachandran – who have come forward to offer their services to victims of the country’s worst floods in recent history. – The Vibes, December 29, 2021