SEPANG – “Please check the main switch as well as the socket. Make sure it is not wet or covered with mud before using any electrical appliances.” These are among important messages often imparted to flood victims by an experienced volunteer in the field of electrical engineering, Syed Mohd Aizuddin Tuan Sembak.
Syed Aizuddin, an electrical wiring lecturer at the Tangkak Industrial Institute, Johor, said the earth leakage circuit breaker (ELCB) in the main switch could be still wet or covered with mud, potentially causing an electric shock.
“If it is wet, don’t switch it on. If the plug or socket is still wet but we switch it on, there can be a power outage and we are worried that the electrical equipment is damaged and the user is exposed to danger.
“That is why we went down to several flood-hit locations to check the main switches and sockets in each flood victim’s house free of charge. We only need a minimum of two minutes to check the socket and five minutes for the ELCB,” he said when met recently.
He said more than 600 individuals skilled in electrical engineering nationwide joined forces under Komuniti Teknikal Islam Malaysia (Komtech), a non-governmental organisation, to provide free electrical wiring inspection services in residential areas affected by the floods.
As the floodwaters began to recede, teams known as skuad baik pulih (repair squad) travelled to Sepang, Shah Alam, Hulu Langat, Bentong, Temerloh and Karak.
“This post-flood mission is our first programme that is definitely a new experience for us,” said Syed Aizuddin, who has 12 years of experience in the field.
Meanwhile, Melaka Polytechnic lecturer Ahmad Fauzi, 43, said this experience gave him real-life exposure to electrical wiring techniques which were previously only taught in the classroom.
I have been teaching electrical engineering since 2004. It can be said that this is a real experience to see the condition of the main switches and sockets after being submerged in floodwaters. Once the flood recedes, there is dry mud in that compartment. In class, there is no such experience,” he said.
Meanwhile, Mohd Sofian Simat, 40, an electrician, said he decided to participate in the volunteer programme with the hope of easing the burden of flood victims with the knowledge in domestic wiring that he acquired at Giat Mara in Jelebu.
“I hope I can use my knowledge as best as possible,” he said.
Mohamad Anwar Irham Yosri, 25, a final-year electrical power engineering student at Universiti Tenaga Nasional (Uniten), described Komtech’s initiative as real-life exposure for students such as himself.
“I did industrial training at a hotel in Putrajaya. However, this experience as a volunteer tested my skills in repairing electrical wiring after the flood because it is different from (learned) theory,” he said.
Sharing his sentiment is another student, Mohamad Afzai Azram, 17, an electrical technology engineering student at the Tengku Ampuan Afzan Vocational College, Bentong, who said that by volunteering in the programme, he gained new knowledge.
“Other (experienced) volunteers gave me a lot of guidance as I am one of the youngest here,” he said. – Bernama, January 2, 2022
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