The Malaysian Insight

COMMUNITIES affected by floods in Mentakab and Karak in Pahang have been having a hard time cleaning their homes because the water and electricity has not been fully restored to the area.

Volunteers working on the ground in these areas said a lot of the government’s efforts are focusing on the Klang Valley to the detriment of people in the two Pahang towns.

Rubbish has been piling up for a week, leading many to worry that disease will spread.

Sabai assemblyman Kamache Doray Rajoo said in Karak said the authorities are barely making any effort to help clean up.

“Nothing is OK, we do understand that this is a natural disaster, but after the disaster there are so many things the government can do but as yet we still don’t have water,” she told The Malaysian Insight.

“The rubbish has not been collected since December 19. The smell is getting out of hand, and we are worried that the children and elderly will be affected by disease.”

Water in the area has also been cut off since last Saturday, she said.

“We have volunteers, but they can only come when there is water. At least, we need help from the government to help the people. We need to use mineral water for everything.”

Kamache said the authorities have been focusing on Bentong, another town also affected by the flood.

“They are busy in Bentong. Every day you can see things happening in Bentong. The reason is they have water, so it is easy to work there.”

The timber all over the town is making the clean-up effort even more difficult.

“Where did the timber come from? It’s filling the river. The state government is answerable to the public. The government should answer where it came from,” she said.

Besides the Klang Valley, other states such as Pahang, Kelantan, Negeri Sembilan and Malacca were affected by the downpour last weekend.

In areas such as Karak, Hulu Langat and Sri Muda, water levels reached rootops, leaving many stranded for days with no food, water or shelter.

Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob’s administration has come under heavy fire from the public for its slow response to the floods, which claimed 41 lives and left thousands more displaced.

Civil societies groups and private citizens rushed to organise relief for people stranded by the floods.

Jaya, a volunteer helping out in Karak, said when the water levels started rising, it almost felt like a tsunami.

“This is the first time Karak has been flooded. None of us were prepared for this,” he said.

It is estimated that 3,200 people in Karak were affected by the flood, while 2,000 houses were damaged, he added.

While the government has announced a RM1,000 handout for flood victims, Segar said it is barely enough to help those who have lost everything.

“Whole houses are gone and people need to move. For the middle class and the rich it’s fine, but for poor people it is hard. They have already been adversely affected by Covid-19.”

In Mentakab, wooden houses in villages were swept away by flood water.

Segar, a volunteer from Kuala Lumpur, who has been travelling to Mentakab since Wednesday, said now that the waters have receded, the community is left to clean up mud, which is almost two feet deep.

“The water has all dried up. Now, the major clean-up is starting, but the area still does not have water or electricity. The mud is almost two feet tall as the rains pushed it from the hills down to the town.”

Segar, who brings with him a three-tonne lorry full of essential goods – such as dry food, clothes and drinking water – said there has been hardly any effort made by the authorities to help the victims in Mentakab.

“There are no police, or firefighters. We only see them distributing things in Karak.”

Due to the mud, Segar said they have had to rely on four-wheel-drive vehicles to deliver aid.

For Sivakumar Apparau, who is helping out in Mentakab and Lanchang, the situation there is worse than Sri Muda.

“I’m from Sri Muda, I know the situation there, this place is worse. They lost their house, they have no water or electricity.”

Though Sivakumar lost all his belongings in his home and his cars in the flood, he has chosen to help those in Pahang. Some of his family is now living with relatives in Kota Kemuning, while others are staying in a hotel.

“If the authorities had acted sooner here, they would have saved a lot more people and their properties.

“Some houses were completely swept away, especially those near the river. Only the front steps are left. A lot of roads are also closed because of the mud, it’s at least a foot deep. Even four-by-fours cannot access it.”

Since the waters dried up, other than mud, locals have had to contend with dust as well.

“There is lots of dust and mud. You need to wear a mask and you cannot wind down your window when driving. It’s also very smelly.”

Sivakumar and a group of friends have been collecting donated goods and supplying them to those in need.

“In Lanchang, the locals said a lot of the villages in the interior have not received any help. We are focusing on the villages and the estate. We have a local guide to help us.” – December 27, 2021.