PERMATANG PAUH – It is a “blessing in disguise” for political candidates in Penang as they are scrambling to show their mettle in flood relief efforts during the final lap of their campaigns before the 15th general election next week.
Campaigns in multiple regions in Penang took a back seat as candidates stopped to provide assistance to locals affected by the floods, especially in flood-prone constituencies such as Permatang Pauh, Tasek Gelugor, and Bukit Mertajam.
Penang has seen heavy rainfall, which has caused rivers that run through the constituencies, including Sg Kulim, Sg Jarak, and Sg Prai, to overflow.
Incumbent Bukit Mertajam MP Steven Sim cancelled all his events scheduled for yesterday evening to attend to those in the constituency who were affected by flash floods soon after the rain began.
“With rainfall of up to 181mm in the Bukit Mertajam area, several flood hotspots were inundated,” Sim said in a statement issued today.
“For reference, rain over 60mm is defined as ‘very heavy’. Yesterday’s rain was three times heavier,” he added.
In response to the floods, Sim had over 1,300 meal packages delivered to flood victims, on top of mobilising defence forces, firemen, and medical personnel on standby.
He also helped set up Harapan flood relief centres, and deployed three government agencies to check the drains, rivers, and pumps to ensure effective flood management.
Rivals for the Permatang Pauh parliamentary seat, Pakatan Harapan’s Nurul Izzah Anwar and Barisan Nasional’s Datuk Mohd Zaidi Mohd Said also cancelled their respective programmes to concentrate on the affected residents in the constituency.
Penang Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow, who is contesting in the also flood-prone Batu Kawan area, proposed to the Penang Irrigation and Drainage Department to construct a large drainage system at Kg Tok Panjang to reduce the likelihood of flood occurrences.
“The suggestion is subject to the consent of locals as the land there is privately owned,” he said in a Facebook post.
Meanwhile, Perikatan Nasional information chief Datuk Wan Saiful Wan Jan similarly paid a visit to flood victims in his constituency yesterday, and postponed his walkabout session at Maklom today to survey the conditions in Lahar Yooi, where he disclosed that 20 houses were damaged by the flood. – The Vibes, November 12, 2022
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