SHAH ALAM – Residents of Selangor’s state capital city which boasts iconic buildings scattered throughout – particularly Sultan Salahuddin Abdul Aziz Mosque, which is the country’s largest mosque as well as the second largest mosque in Southeast Asia by capacity – should never have been concerned by issues involving flooding.
Yet, in December last year, residents were hit by the worst flash floods in the city’s history resulting in 14 deaths; comprising eight men and six women.
It is learnt that continuous rain spells then had been caused by Typhoon Rai (Odette), which hit the Philippines, followed by a “spin-off” which swept Peninsular Malaysia.
When met by The Vibes, Mohd Subhan Basar said it was an experience that he would never forget.
“I have been living here in Shah Alam for the past 18 years and this experience with the floods is something that I never thought would happen… it’s just impossible but it did happen,” he said.
The 40-year-old civil engineer believes that the major floods were triggered by the poorly maintained drainage system, as rubbish and debris were allowed to clog up drains.
Subhan also mentioned that residents in his housing area in Seksyen 17 Shah Alam have requested that authorities study and rectify the drainage issue in their vicinity.
Unfortunately, this call has fallen on deaf ears.
As for 45-year-old Kumar Marimuthu, he reaffirmed Subhan’s suggestion.
He also called for the authorities to take stern action and resolve the flash flood issues immediately, stating that it does not help when authorities start pointing fingers at one another.
“This drainage clogging issue is not even rectified, not even settled.
“We are not sure who is responsible for it, whether it is under the city council or who else, we cannot just rely on them,” said the Public Works Department engineer.
Kumar also mentioned that although past MPs and assemblymen had provided endless assistance at that time, what is sorely needed is appropriate equipment to handle similar catastrophes in the future.
Meanwhile Pakatan Harapan’s candidate for the Shah Alam parliamentary constituency, Azli Yusof, said he was highly committed to ensuring there will be a proper short- and long-term mitigation plan.
“Shah Alam is now very prone to floods and although currently there is an initiative by the Selangor government and the Irrigation and Drainage Department to build a retention pond and a pump system to ensure that the flash floods will be handled properly, on the broader scope, there must be a comprehensive plan to ensure the city is resilient to climate change,” he said. – The Vibes, November 17, 2022
