Pedestrian bridge collapses in Bangsar, two feared dead

A pedestrian bridge under construction near Mid Valley Megamall on Jalan Kampung Haji Abdullah Hukum has collapsed, killing at least two people.

According to The Star Online, four others were injured in the incident which happened around 3.30pm.

Kuala Lumpur Fire and Rescue Department chief operations officer Samsol Maarif Saibani said the department was alerted about the incident at 3.33pm.

Fire and rescue personnel from the Pantai, Hang Tuah and Seputeh fire stations have been dispatched to the scene.

The bridge was supposed to link KL Eco City, which is also under construction, to The Gardens shopping centre.

It is part of a planned construction to integrate the Abdullah Hukum LRT and the soon-to-be completed Eco City KTM, with both KL Eco City and The Gardens and Mid Valley shopping complex.

Meanwhile, newswire Bernama uploaded a video depicting construction workers crowding around what looked like a police vehicle.

Some were holding on to the truck and weeping.

"Construction workers weep over their friend who perished when a building structure collapsed on Jalan Bangsar," Bernama reported on Twitter.

[Video] Beberapa pekerja pembinaan meratapi seorang rakan mereka yg terkorban dalam kejadian struktur bangunan runtuh di Jalan Bangsar itu pic.twitter.com/f8NSN4so0R

Calls for strict audit that government had spent RM800 million on flood victims as Kelantan entitled to ask where the money had gone as it should get RM500 – RM600 million as the worst flood-stricken state

By Lim Kit Siang Blog

Today, accompanied by the former Bersih co-chairman and patron of Negara-Ku, Datuk Ambiga Sreenevasan, DAP MPs Anthony Loke (Seremban), Liew Chin Tong (Kluang), DAP State Assembly members Lee Chin Chen (Ketari- Pahang), Wong May Ing (Pantai Remis) and DAP and social activists in four FWDs, with a container of essential supplies for Manek Urai, I made my third flood victims relief mission to Kelantan.

We left Kuala Lumpur at 5 am, first stop at Bentong for breakfast, arriving in Gua Musang before 10 am, where we were given a briefing by DAP and PAS Gua Musang leaders on the floods devastation in Gua Musang beginning on Winter Solstice (Dongzhi festival) on Dec. 22, 2014.

Gua Musang, which literally means “Cave of the Civet”, is the largest of the 10 districts in Kelantan and Gua Musang town had never experienced serious flooding before.

It therefore took the people in Gua Musang by complete surprise when Gua Musang, together with Kuala Krai (another district which had never suffered serious flooding before) became the two worst flood-stricken areas in the December 2014 floods catastrophe.

When we visited Gua Musang town, the people were busy valiantly trying to clean up their houses, shops and inns – a puny effort compared to the enormous ravages caused by the floods.

It was two weeks since Gua Musang had been stricken by the unprecedented floods catastrophe, with water as high as 10 to 12 ft, submerging the whole town but Gua Musang still looked forlorn and desolate.

From the slow pace of recovery that I saw in Gua Musang, the Kelantan Mentri Besar Datuk Ahmad Yaakob may be right when he said that Kelantan will need at least six months to fully recover from the devastation of the worst floods that hit the state in the past few weeks.

But six months to recover from the devastation of the floods catastrophe is too long and will impose great problems and grave burdens on the flood victims in Kelantan.

This is why there must be a total change of mindset of the Federal, state and local authorities to ensure that this recovery period is slashed from “at least six months” to two months, and why a declaration of state of emergency to centralize and mobilise all available resources to help the floods victims in Gua Musang and other parts of Kelantan to start life anew after the devastation of the floods is urgent and imperative.

During the worst of the floods catastrophe, an emergency is needed to save lives. In the post-flood scenario, an emergency is needed to restore living and ensure livelihood – to help the flood victims rebuild life and business anew in the shortest possible time.

From Gua Musang, we left for Manek Urai where the container of essential supplies was down-loaded at the PAS Manek Urai Relief Centre, and we met up with the PAS MP for Kuala Krai, Dr. Mohd Hatta Ramli, PAS Vice President and Kelantan State Assemblyman for Salor Datuk Husam Musa and former Kelantan Assembly Speaker and Kota Bharu MP, Dato’ Wan Abdul Rahim Wan Abdullah.

It is Ground Zero in Manek Urai, where the devastation of the floods catastrophe was most bleak and desolate as if there had been a tsunami or the aftermath of a war zone.

We visited Kg Manjor, where only 15 out of 220 houses survived the floods catastrophe, and a living testimony of the power and might of Mother Nature when it expressed its fury at the despoliation of the environment.

Everywhere we saw houses destroyed after being flung about like toys by angry floods, with a chair left on a roof as evidence of the height of the waters, and vehicles thrown around, some atop another vehicle while others somersaulted.

The villagers of Kg Manjor were lucky to be able to flee to higher ground, where they spent five nights and days until the floods subsided – without water, food, power or contact for the first two days!

There were other Ground Zero devastating damages from the floods catastrophe, like Manek Urai Lama, Kg Karangan, Kg Laloh, Kg Dabong, Kg Kemubu.

I am not aware that any Cabinet Ministers, including the Prime Minister or Deputy Prime Minister, had visited any of these Ground Zero zones of the floods catastrophe in Kuala Krai.

My visit to Ground Zero zones has reinforced my view that an emergency must be declared to help the flood-stricken victims to rebuild and start life anew, that the 150,000 in the armed forces should be mobilized to help a million flood victims to start life anew, not only to provide security and prevent the outbreak of diseases post-floods, but to help restore essential utilities like safe water and electricity, erect temporary shelter for the flood victims and to allow them to start life anew in shortest possible time.

I am shocked that the Deputy Finance Minister, Datuk Ahmad Maslan announced yesterday that the government had so far spent about RM800 million through the National Security Council to help victims in states affected by floods in the provision of food supply, logistics and cleaning houses of victims.

As Kelantan is the worst flood-stricken state in the floods catastrophe, the bulk of the expenditure, say RM 500 million – RM600 million, should have been spent in the state.

But where has this vast sum of money gone to as no one in Kelantan would feel that the Federal Government had spent RM500 million to RM600 million in Kelantan in the past two weeks of the floods catastrophe to help flood victims.

I have visited Kota Bharu three times, been in Kuala Krai twice, even in the Ground Zero zones of Manek Urai as well as Gua Musang, and I definitely do not feel or sense that RM500 million to RM600 million had been spent in Kelantan in relief efforts for the flood victims.

Let Maslan reveal out of this RM800 million, how much had been spent in Kelantan, Terengganu, Pahang and Perak – so far the worst flood-hit states.

There should be strict audit of the so-called RM800 million already spent to help flood victims, and the other expenditures still to be made, to ensure that there is no hanky-panky whatsoever.

No money should be spared to help the flood victims, but not a sen should be wasted.

All government expenditures spent in the floods catastrophe must directly benefit the flood victims and not the “floods” barons, entrepreneurs or cronies.

For a start, let the Deputy Prime Minister and Education Minister, Tan Sri Muhyiddin announce that every student affected by the floods catastrophe will be provided free two sets of school uniforms, text books, exercise books, and all other necessary school supplies, which will be evidence of such expenditures directly benefitting the flood victims and not some chimerical figure of RM800 million said to be spent on flood victims but without them being the direct beneficiaries.

There should be no rigid requirement for student to wear school uniform at least for the first month of school for the flood-stricken areas, until every student have been supplied with two sets of free school uniforms.

On Sunday night, I sent an email to the Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak on my five-point action plan on the floods catastrophe which have caused 23 dead, evacuation of a quarter of million people, with a million people adversely affected by the floods, and losses running into billions of ringgit.

I also asked for an urgent meeting with the Prime Minister before the Cabinet meeting on Wednesday, as Malaysians expect the Cabinet to make important decisions on the floods catastrophe especially with Ministers on vacation abroad and the Cabinet had not met for 20 days – including during the worst periods of the December 2014 floods catastrophe.

As the Prime Minister is suffering from E Coli after floods visits, I am not pressing for a meeting with Najib before the Cabinet meeting tomorrow.

I wish him speedy recovery to be able to chair the Cabinet meeting tomorrow to ensure that the Ministers can take collective decisions on the five-point action plan which I had outlined to him in my email, namely:

(1) the declaration of a state of emergency for the flood-stricken states;

(2) the formation of a BN-PR Joint Action Council on Floods Catastrophe;

(3) Convening of a Special Parliament this month on the Floods Catastrophe which can also discuss the deferment of the implementation of GST so as not to add further burdens on the flood victims;

(4) Doubling of the RM500 million allocation for relief of flood victims to RM1 billion to enable every flood victim whose livelihood/business had been wiped out by the floods catastrophe to apply for interest free loans, ranging from RM1,000 to RM250,l000 to start life and business anew, and

(5) Establishment of a Royal Commission of Inquiry into the weaknesses and failures of the Floods Disaster Preparations Plans to provide relief and help to the flood victims of the current floods catastrophe.

I hope the Cabinet tomorrow will have good news for the million flood victims, especially those in the worst-hit areas like Gua Musang and Kuala Krai in Kelantan and Temerloh and Mentakab in Pahang.

In fact, it would be a good idea if the Cabinet tomrrow makes it compulsory for every Minister, including the Prime Minister and Deputy Prime Minister, to visit Ground Zero areas in Manek Urai, in particular “devastation” areas like Kg Manjor and Kg Maneki Urai Lama, for such visits will make Ministers not only more knowledgeable but more humble and committed to ensure that mega flood relief expenditures directly benefit the flood victims and not the “flood” barons, entrepreneurs cronies.

(Media Conference Statement at Pengkalan Chepa Airport, Kota Bharu on Tuesday, January 6, 2014 at 5 pm)

As flood recedes, Orang Asli still out of aid

 

As the country reels from the country's worst flood in decades, the Orang Asli community living in the interiors of Kelantan, Pahang and Perak found themselves to be the last to get much needed aid.

However, much needed aid arrived by air yesterday after NGO United Sikhs dropped some 2,350kg of supplies to 278 families to the Temiar community in the interiors of Gua Musang, Kelantan.


In a Facebook posting, the NGO said it flew six sorties from its Kuala Betis base camp to eight locations with 11 orang asli settlements.

It said some 1,000 of the local population had been cut off due to landslides.

"The flood in the last 10 days also devastated their tapioca, hill paddy and vegetable crops," it said.

Some villages have also been cut off for up to three months as roads collapsed at the beginning of the monsoon season.

The aid delivery by air was a collaboration between United Sikhs and the Centre for Orang Asli Concerns.

Prior to the delivery, Jaringan Orang Asal SeMalaysia (Joas) had made a desperate appeal for help for the indigenous community in the area.

"More than 20 Orang Asli villages in the interior Kelantan have been cut off for almost 10 days since the floods.

"They remain unreachable and uncontactable and we do not have much information on their current condition.

"Army helicopters delivered food but it was some time ago and not all areas were reached," it said.

Police alerted, but still no help

Some say they received an aid drop off once by the Orang Asli Affairs Department (Jakoa) but the supplies have run out.

Volunteer Firdaus Nisha Muhammad Faizal said in Kuala Koh the river broke its banks and submerged Orang Asli home within two hours.

Firdaus and six friends spent four days on an ad hoc relief mission delivering food and other supplies through their NGO friends.

"The villagers were quick and resourceful enough to make a large raft to ferry people from one end of the river to the other side where later they would head to higher ground," he wrote on Facebook.

These villagers, whose homes were surrounded by oil palm plantations received help from the estate manager but not all were as fortunate.

In Temerloh, 140 families in Kampung Paya Pelong have been trapped since Dec 26 even though flood waters have receded in other parts of the district, said Joas representative Shafie Dris said.

He said the village chief Harun Sok managed to report the situation to the Kerdau police station but hardly any help arrived.

"Nothing has arrived since then except for 30 bags of rice from the Kuala Krau elected representative and a few kilos of rice from NGOs and church for 140 families,” he wrote on Facebook.

Supplies hijacked

Meanwhile, in Dabong, Kelantan, aid workers complained their supplies were “hijacked” by some villagers.

Aid worker Mohd Zulkifli Daud said supplies in seven Toyota Hilux intended for Kampung Mahligai was offloaded by a nearby village.

"The aid mission was stopped, they overran it, open up (the vehicles) and took the food for themselves," he said.

He added that a villager had tricked them by telling them that the bridge ahead to Kampung Mahligai had collapsed.

A video of Zulkifli relating his experience was posted on Facebook by Siti Kasim, a Bar Council human rights committee member who also assisted in the United Sikhs mission.

Asking for urgent meeting with Najib before Cabinet meeting on Wednesday to present four-point proposal on the floods catastrophe for Cabinet adoption

By Lim Kit Siang Blog

I am seeking an urgent meeting with the Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Najib Razak, before Wednesday with a four-point proposal for adoption by the Cabinet with regard to the floods catastrophe which had ravaged nine states in the past two weeks.

It would appear that the Cabinet had not met since Dec. 17, as the two previous Wednedays had fallen on Christmas eve on Dec. 24 and New Year’s Eve on Dec. 31.

Although both these dates are not public holidays in Malaysia, it is the tradition that the Cabinet would not meet on these two dates as most Ministers would be overseas on vacations.

I believe that the Cabinet had also not met on Dec. 24 and 31 last year, as there had been no reports about Cabinet meetings on these two dates, which would be most unusual and extraordinary, as the country’s worst floods in decades had spanned both these dates.

However, I confess I am not privy to information as to whether the Cabinet had met on Dec. 24 and 31, and I am prepared to stand corrected if I am proved wrong.

If I am right that the Cabinet had not met since Dec. 17, then this is a gross remiss of public duties and responsibilities by the entire Cabinet and Najib owes the country a full and satisfactory explanation for the Cabinet playing truant when the country was faced with an unprecedented floods catastrophe, which caused the evacuation of a quarter of a million people, with over a million in nine states adversely affected by the floods catastrophe and the death of at least 21 people.

Although the worst of the second wave of the floods catastrophe seemed to be over, the Meteorological Department has warned of a a third wave of a moonsoon surge to begin on Jan 7 or 8, with possible continuous heavy rainfall up to three days over cerrtain states, especially in Johor, Sabah and Sarawak.

The National Security Council, and in particular, the Federal Government, should not be caught off-guard as happened in the second wave of the floods catastrophe in the past fortnight.

The four-point proposals concern:

# the declaration of a state of emergency for the flood-stricken states;

# the formation of a BN-PR Joint Action Council on Floods Catastrophe;
# Convening of a Special Parliament this month on the Floods Catastrophe;’

# Doubling of the RM500 million allocation for relief of flood victims to RM1 billion to enable every flood victim whose livelihood/business had been wiped out by the floods catastrophe to apply for interest free loans, ranging from RM1,000 to RM250,l000 to start life and business anew.

Call on Najib to declare state of emergency to mobilise the 150,000-strong armed forces to deal with worsening flood situation in some states and humongous post-flood challenges in others

By Lim Kit Siang Blog

It is still not too late for the Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Najib Razak to declare a state of emergency in the flood-stricken states.

A state of emergency in the flood-stricken states will make it easier and faster to mobilise all federal, state and local resources to deal firstly, with the worst flood disaster in recent decades (for some states, the flood situation could worsen in coming days); and secondly, the post-flood situation in states where although the worst flood situation are over with the receding of flood waters, new problems are beginning with the humongous and mind-blogging scale and scope of the post-flood challenges and dangers.

The Kelantan Mentri Besar Datuk Ahmad Yaakob has said that Kelantan will need at least six months to fully recover from the devastation of the worst floods that hit the state in the past few weeks.

Six months to recover from the devastation of the floods catastrophe is too long and will impose great problems and grave burdens on the flood victims in Kelantan.

Whether for Kelantan, Terengganu, Pahang, Perak or any state for that matter, the period for the full recovery from the devastation of the floods catastrophe should be cut down from “at least six months” to two months, and this is why a state of emergency for the flood-stricken states should declared, to deal firstly with the floods disaster management, mitigation and relief during the floods catastrophe, and secondly, the post-flood challenges and dangers.

In fact, a state of emergency should be a normal part of the Standard Operating Procedure to deal with a major floods disaster.

The Prime Minister was clearly misled when he said that a state of emergency could not be declared because it would absolve the insurance companies from having to pay compensation to the insured, which had been debunked by the insurance regulator, the General Insurance Association of Malaysia (Piam).

The Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin was also wrong when he said that there was no need to declare a state of emergency unless there was a critical situation, such as when the electricity and water supply were completely cut off or when the number of flood victims reached hundreds of thousands of people.

Muhyiddin seemed not to know that for thousands of the flood victims, electricity and water supply were completely cut off for more than a week. Is this not an emergency?

Is Muhyiddin saying that before an emergency situation could arise, electricity and water supply should be completely cut off for the whole country and that hundreds of thousands of people should be made homeless as a quarter of a million people are still not sufficient?

If so, these are the most cock-eyed arguments ever presented by a Deputy Prime Minister in Malaysia.

It is most shocking and outrageous that both the Prime Minister and the Deputy Prime Minister do not seem to have a clue as to what is needed for the declaration of a state of emergency in the event of a natural or even man-made disaster which has nothing to do with a political crisis.

There should be a total revamp of the mindset and mentality about Floods Disaster Management Plans and Preparedness, where declaration of a state of emergency for flood-stricken states or regions will be an integral part of the Standard Operating Procedure.

I can understand why Malaysians as a whole are quite reluctant to support declaration of state of emergency, for their experience is for the state of emergencies to be permanent and misused to serve the interests of the Executive, such as the Emergencies arising from Indonesian Confrontation in 1965, the Sarawak Political Crisis in 1967, the May 13 Riots in 1969 and the Kelantan Political Crisis in 1977.

A state of emergency arising from a floods catastrophe will be limited both in place and time – confined only to the flood-stricken areas and lapsed as soon as the floods catastrophe and the post-flood challenges and dangers are dealt with.

I would urge the Prime Minister to ask the Cabinet on Wednesday to endorse the declaration of a state of emergency in the flood-stricken states, which will enable the mobilization of the 150,000-strong armed services personnel (land, air and sea) to deal with worsening flood situation in some states and to tackle the post-flood situation in states where the flood waters have receded.

One of the biggest post-flood challenges is to shorten the time needed for the people to recover from the devastation of the floods – for instance, slash the period from “at least six months” to two months.

The armed forces can be mobilized to help the police in looking after security, assist the flood victims who have become homeless to build temporary housing and ensure that there is no outbreak of diseases by helping to clean up the flood-stricken areas.

If the military forces in other countries can render such national services in times of national disasters, there is no reason why this cannot be done in Malaysia.

The Federal government must use all its resources to help the flood victims to start their lives and business anew.

This is why there should be a doubling of the RM500 million flood relief allocation announced by Najib to RM1 billion, so that there could be interest-free loans to every flood victim to allow business and ordinary life to start anew immediately, in the shortest possible time.

Every flood victim whose business, whether from hawker stalls to shop business, had been wiped out by the floods catastrophe, should be entitled to interest free loan, ranging from RM1,000 to RM250,000 to restart business.

The Cabinet on Wednesday should take bold and decisive measures on the declaration of a state of emergency in the flood-stricken states as well as approve the doubling of the RM500 million flood relief allocation RM1 billion to enable interest-free loans to be given to everyone whose livelihood had been wiped out by the flood catastrophe.

(Media Conference Statement in Mentakab on Saturday, 3rd January 2015 at 10 am when visiting the flood-stricken areas in Mentakab and Temerloh together with DAP Acting National Chairman Tan Kok Wai, DAP Selangor State Assemblyman for Balakong Ng Tien Chee and DAP Pahang State Assemblyman for Mentakab, Tengku Zulpuri Shah b. Raja Puji )

Flood Situation In Terengganu, Kelantan Continues To Improve In The Afternoon

Siti Noh Awang, 61,contemplating her future at the site of her house destroyed by floods at Kampung Limau Kasturi Gua Musang KelantanKUALA LUMPUR, Jan 1 (Bernama) -- The flood situation in Terengganu continued to improve this afternoon as there were lesser evacuees at the relief centres, but the numbers in Kelantan, Pahang and Johor remained.

In TERENGGANU, the number of evacuees dropped further to 9,040 this afternoon from 10,051 in the morning, according to statistics from the Terengganu National Security Council (MKN).

The number of evacuees in Dungun this afernoon were at 4,289, Kemaman (4,570) and Kuala Terengganu (181).

In KELANTAN, a state MKN spokesman said although the flood situation continued to improve, there were still many evacuees at the relief centres as they had lost their homes, or their houses were badly damaged or covered with mud.

Their number remained at 44,081 (from 10,753 families) at 178 relief centres since morning after a sharp drop from 81,458 last night.

Tanah Merah district still had 14,184 evacuees, Tumpat (9,524), Kuala Krai (5,645), Kota Baharu (4,910), Machang (3,769), Pasir Mas (3,015), Gua Musang (3,006) and Pasir Puteh (28).

In Pahang, the number of evacuees remained at 50,272 like in the morning and housed at 232 relief centres in eight districts.

Temerloh district had 21,773 evacuees, Pekan (13,425), Jerantut (4,776), Bera (3,174), Maran (3,021), Lipis (2,745), Kuantan (1,174) and Rompin (130).

In JOHOR, the number remained at 138 in two districts, namely Segamat (93) and Batu Pahat (45).

However, in Perak, the number rose slightly to 7,360 in the afternoon, housed at 52 relief centres, from 7,313 this morning.

According to a state MKN spokesman, Central Perak had 5,192 flood evacuees, Kuala Kangsar (1,231), Hulu Perak (762), Kerian (107) and Manjung (68).

-- BERNAMA

No official New Year celebrations again after worst floods – Bernama

The Malaysian government has decided not to usher the arrival of the New Year for the second time in 10 years due to the devastating floods, especially in the East Coast.

The first time Malaysia did not usher the new year was during the arrival of 2005 since December 26, 2004 saw a monstrous tsunami claim more than 200,000 casualties in Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, India, Maldives and Sri Lanka.

Events lined in Putrajaya, Dataran Merdeka and states like Melaka, Penang, Pahang and Negri Sembilan were cancelled as a mark of respect for the people who are suffering from the massive floods in Kelantan, Terengganu, Pahang, Perak, Selangor, Perlis, Kedah and Johor.

The year 2014 has also been full of airline tragedies for Malaysia, especially the disappearance of the Malaysia Airlines (MAS) flight MH370 and flight MH17.

The latest incident was the AirAsia Indonesia flight QZ8501 tragedy in the Java Sea.

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak is now in Kelantan to visit flood victims and view the damages caused by the worst floods in 40 years.

Instead of fireworks which normally mark the arrival of the new year, mosques, temples and other places of worship organised prayers for the well being of the flood victims and the families of those who perished in airline tragedies. – Bernama, January 1, 2015.

- See more at: http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/malaysia/article/no-official-new-year-celebrations-again-after-worst-floods-bernama#sthash.bQqYIiiY.dpuf

IGP: Floods claim 21 lives, 10 missing

Pregnant mum, child killed in Camerons landslide

A pregnant woman and her year-old son were killed while her husband fractured a leg in a landslide in Cameron Highlands, today, police said.

M. Nitiahwaty, 24, who was eight months pregnant, and R. Rubeniswaran were buried alive in the landslide which occurred at a hill behind their house at Km46 Jalan Brinchang-Tringkap about 5.30am, Cameron Highlands police chief DSP Wan Zahari Wan Busu said.

Nitiahwaty's husband, V Raja, 41, was rescued by fire and rescue personnel, Wan Zahari said, adding that Raja was buried up to the chest and had fractured his left leg.

Raja and the bodies of Nitiahwaty and Rubeniswaran were sent to the Sultanah Hajah Kalsom Hospital in Tanah Rata, he said.

Wan Zahari said the family had tried to escape the landslide as it occurred by trying to flee through a motor workshop in front of their house but the workshop door was locked.

Raja works at the workshop and the family lived in a house made of wood and plastic behind the workshop.

"They tried to save themselves by running out through the workshop but the workshop door was locked and they were hit by the debris from the landslide," he said when contacted.

Cameron Highlands Fire and Rescue chief Yusry Abdullah Sani said Raja was rescued at 7.15am.

Rubeniswaran was removed from the debris at about 8am and Nitiahwaty, about 30 minutes later.

- Bernama

What has Umno/BN government learned from natural disasters? – Nawawi Mohamad

Malaysia has experienced several natural disasters which resulted in loss of lives and properties starting back in December 1993 with the collapse of two blocks of the Highland Towers, then the tsunami in 2004, recent Cameron Highlands landslides and the latest being the unprecedented floods in Kelantan, Pahang and Terengganu.

By the way, with so frequent flooding, we ought to be professional in facing them by now. Unfortunately, we are never ready and never prepared.

In the Highland Towers tragedy, we lacked experience such that the Japanese Civil Defence sent a team to help in the search and rescue effort. Search and rescue teams from Singapore, France, United Kingdom and the United States also came to help.

Besides helping, they also showed us the relevant techniques and the equipment they used in disasters. In fact, at the end of the search, the Japanese left their equipment and donated them to Malaysia.

From that incident, Malaysia formed its own Search and Rescue Team under the Fire Department. Our team had also been sent overseas to help disaster victims, like in Aceh during the tsunami in 2004. Naturally, every Malaysian should feel proud that we have our own reliable team and managed to help others in foreign countries as well.

Besides the elite team mentioned above, we also have several non-governmental organisations that play significant roles both at home and overseas. We have other agencies like JKR, JPA, PDRM, military and volunteers who at times have been at the forefront in the rescue efforts.

Malaysians are generally generous and we are all proud to be Malaysians in that sense. We also have the means: the equipment, machinery, resources and manpower to undertake the search, rescue and help victims in almost any natural disaster. We can do it.

But at the government and political levels, our ministers and politicians have not shown their will to improve themselves. Despite having declared that they work for the people since it is the people who put them into power anyway, at these times of need they seem to be lost and preoccupied with their own personal world.

We all know that Datuk Seri Najib Razak was holidaying and golfing in Hawaii, Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein was said to be in London, loud-mouth Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi was quiet as a mouse, Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim was also said to be in Australia and Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yasin was not in control.

Never mind the politicians but even if they want to have fun while the people are facing hardship, make sure that there is a system established and could run on auto-pilot.

The Umno/Barisan Nasional government should set up a central command at the federal level with branches in every state to coordinate the various NGOs, volunteers, government agencies and above all the control of correct information should be given to the public.

Coordination is important so that every area is covered by the various teams and overlapping of efforts could be avoided. The disaster command centre will also be able to know the exact amount of resources at hand, and what kind of help is needed most.

Just look at the recent blunder as reported in the papers when TNB managed to send 45 gensets to Pahang and only 1 genset to Kelantan despite the latter being affected most.

TNB has limited logistics resources and they are not a logistics specialist either. If there had been a proper disaster management, some form of transport could be provided, may be by the military to help send the gensets where they are most needed.

The centre should only have one contact number, which will be connected to several help and information lines. Do not give the individual contact numbers of the NGOs, government departments and agencies because the central command must be the reference point. None of them should act alone, all should be under the central command and be coordinated efficiently.

There must also be a website meant to cater for any disaster where everybody can reach and not depend on the social media which most of the time spread false or half-truths. The website should be interactive where applicable so that those who need to know feel more comfortable.

The Umno/BN government must also educate the people in the flood-prone areas to be ready with survival supplies: food, drinking water, clothes, medicines, toiletries and other necessities should be carried along during evacuation.

The whole supply could be in the form of standard ration placed in a lightweight bag which could have multiple uses. For instance, it could be used as a life buoy if the victims are swept away. Add in an identification beacon for easy searching.

What we have now is the National Security Council (MKN) which is lousy but we do not feel secure. They have done nothing much except simply to exist and may be just to get paid. And nothing else except blunders in every disaster that we faced.

It seems the Umno/BN government has not learned much, if not nothing, from the disasters that we have had. Now if Najib and all the politicians want to go elsewhere during any disaster, please do something about it. – December 29, 2014.

* Nawawi Mohamad reads The Malaysian Insider.

- See more at: http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/sideviews/article/what-has-umno-bn-government-learned-from-natural-disasters-nawawi-mohamad#sthash.05kCBOk8.dpuf

Najib Describes Floods In Kelantan As Major Disaster

KOTA BAHARU, Dec 30 (Bernama) -- Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak has described the severe floods faced by Kelantan as a major disaster which has brought much destruction.

Najib, who observed the effects caused by the major floods in Gua Musang and Kuala Krai today, said the two districts concerned were the worst hit areas this time.

"They (residents) consider the disaster not as a flood phenomenon but a major catastrophe because the water level rose so high and rapidly to the extent that many houses were submerged," he said at a press conference at the Sultan Ismail Petra Airport, Pengkalan Chepa, here today, after observing the affected districts.

Also accompanying the Prime Minister during the visit was International Trade and Industry Minister Datuk Seri Mustapa Mohamed, who is also chairman of the Kelantan Flood Disaster Committee.

Najib said that besides observing personally the houses that were totally destroyed and badly damaged, he was informed that hundreds of residents had their homes destroyed and had no place to live in.

"I see so much destruction and it is very depressing and so sad," he said, adding that the government would take several actions to assist the flood victims in the Gua Musang and Kuala Krai districts.

The Prime Minister said the government was now making continuous efforts to assist the flood victims who were placed at the relief centres and also helping them to return home after the flood had receded.

He said the government would make an evaluation of every house that was destroyed or damaged due to the floods as soon as possible.

"The action that must be taken is to build a temporary home for the victims who had lost their homes to the floods," he said.

Najib said the government would build permanent homes for the flood victims in Kuala Krai in in an area that was safer from the floods.

However, the federal government would discuss with the Kelantan state government as the land to be turned into the new settlement area was under the jurisdiction of the state government.

The Prime Minister said construction of houses on river land reserves could not be allowed because of the high risk of being affected by the floods.

Asked whether the rampant opening of land on hill slopes in the two districts was the main factor for the floods, Najib did not rule out the possibility of human negligence being a contributing factor for the disaster.

"Rampant opening of land especially for logging has an effect on the environment because there is no natural retention to stop the water from flowing directly to the river swiftly," he said.

The numerous logs floating in the river also had an effect when they became stuck under the bridges blocking the water from flowing and thus spilling over to the surrounding areas resulting in major floods.

"This is a lesson for us to take action to ensure sustainable development and a reminder from Allah SWT to us actually, so we must remember the guidance contained in the Al Quran that humans are actually the cause, God will not be cruel to us but we are being cruel to our own selves," he said.

The Prime Minister also praised the staff at the Kuala Krai Hospital when parts of the hospital were inundated and yet they were able to manage the patients and flood victims seeking shelter at the hospital in a good manner.

"What the nurses and doctors at the hospital did was beyond normal as they were under pressure, yet the services rendered by them deserved praise," he said.

Najib also praised the efforts of the government agencies and the Malaysian Armed Forces to rescue victims who were trapped by the floods.

Asked whether the cost for building the houses and other infrastructure that were damaged was included in the RM500 million allocation for the flood victims that was announced recently, Najib said the government would provide another allocation for this purpose.

-- BERNAMA

Kelantan, for first time, shows some improvement

 

FLOODS LIVE BLOG Malaysiakini brings the latest updates on the flood situation as they happen.

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Latest developments

• Malaysiakini observes serious food shortage in Kelantan
   
• School opening for 2015 delayed a week
   
• Ahmad Shabery Cheek says not all mobiles affected
   
• The water on Sungai Pahang has reached dangerous level in three areas
   
• Top civil servants recalled from leave to assist in relief efforts

Slight drop in evacuees as water recedes

7.31pm: There is slight improvement in the overall flood crisis as the number of displaced people fell slightly from 224,980 this afternoon to 222,365 this evening.

The number of evacuees has been on a decline, albeit very slowly, since this morning when there were 225,730 people housed at hundreds of relief centres in several states.

Kelantan, for the first time, shows some improvement. Conditions also improved in Johor, Perak and Terengganu.

Pahang is the only state which number of evacuees increase while the small number of people displaced by floods in Selangor have returned home.

The following is the latest number of displaced people as of 5pm today compared to noon's figures (at 3pm).

Kelantan 147,072 (-4,000)
Terengganu 32,210 (-572)
Selangor 0 (-33)
Johor 175 (-153)
Perak 7,407 (-133)
Pahang 35,501 (+2,276)

PM: Don't accept false news on social media

7.05pm: Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak urges regulators to go after those who spread false news about the ongoing flood crisis.

"I hope the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission will trace those spreading false information and take action against them,” he is quoted as saying by Bernama.

Najib also urges the public to rely on official information provided by the government and not accept rumours circulated on social media.

Railway infrastructure damaged

6.40pm: KTM Berhad says that some delay is expected in restoring the train services in the east coast line because the damages to infrastructure.

According to a Bernama report, the floods have damaged basic infrastructures like tracks, bridges, platforms and railway stations between Gua Musang and Tumpat in Kelantan.

Meanwhile, the Singapore government would be contributing S$100,000 (RM264,359) to aid flood victims all over Malaysia.

The funds will be channelled through the Singapore Red Cross to the Malaysian Red Crescent Society to be distributed here.

Husam: Numbers not important

6.28pm: PAS vice-president Husam Musa, who has been surveying the flood situation in Kelantan, shrugs off the RM500 million allocation announced by the federal government to help flood victims.

Husam says the figures are unimportant at this stage and focus should be on what immediate actions are being taken to assist the flood victims.

“I don’t want to hear about hundreds of millions, I want to know if there will be school uniforms, whether there will be help to repair damaged houses and cars,” he says while visiting Kampung Kadok in Pasir Mas.

DAP wants RCI on floods

5.22pm: Gelang Patah MP Lim Kit Siang has urged a royal commission of inquiry (RCI) into the massive flooding in Malaysia, and that the government should learn from countries like South Korea and Japan so that the same incident won't happen again.

"This time, areas that have never experienced flooding before were also hit by the disaster.

"The water rose very fast and caught the authorities by surprise," he says during a press conference in Penang this evening.

He adds that such a situation should not have occurred in Malaysia, and the fact that it did, is a shame.

According to Lim, it shows the weaknesses in our country's disaster management system and standard operating procedure.

 http://www.malaysiakini.com/news/284782

Temerloh: Spirit of generosity and tenacity not dampened by the floods

Malay Mail
by MELISSA CHI

TEMERLOH, Dec 29 ― The sight of massive treetops at eye level, front doors of homes and windows almost completely submerged, and men rowing from one point to another on a makeshift raft seemed like a scene from a movie.

But this was Temerloh, the second largest town in Pahang.

With the fourth wave of the northeasterly monsoon expected to slam into the east coast this morning, Pahang remains one of the worst-hit states.

The number of evacuees climbed to over 33,000 peiople as of 8pm yesterday. Three deaths were reported yesterday including one in Temerloh.

“I don't dare to leave with my grandchildren now. The current is too strong,” 46-year-old Siti Faridah told Malay Mail Online yesterday at one of the evacuation centres on Jalan Kampung Kerai.

Carrying her one-year-old granddaughter, she said about 30 over people from the village have been surviving on boiled bananas and a bit of rice since Friday.

“There is not enough food for all of us. We can use a makeshift raft and row our way to shops but the supplies had already been cleared out,” she said in a slight northern Malay accent at the evacuation centre which is actually a small hut.

Some of them have even had to sleep out in the open at night.

One of her other grandchildren said the family of 16 left their home in a hurry on Thursday night for their neighbour's house. But by Friday morning, they had to find a raft and row their way to the nearest evacuation centre as even the neighbour's house was not spared from the rising floodwaters.

The group also said the supplies received yesterday were inadequate, leaving them in need of more food and medication.

Yesterday, Malay Mail Online spent eight hours with the Temerloh Fire and Rescue Department to reach out to flood victims as well as deliver food supplies to residents along the Pahang river, which has already doubled in size.

The drop-off yesterday consisted of 300 bags ― each containing a tin of biscuits, teabags, 5kg of rice, sugar, salt and two cans of sardines ― to five evacuation centres sponsored by the Social Welfare Department Malaysia (JKMM) as well as Kerdau assemblyman Datuk Syed Ibrahim Syed Ahmad who helped with the distribution.

Many of the evacuees said their food supplies were almost exhausted. For most of them, road access has been cut off for the past five days.

After receiving the food supplies at Kampung Galok near Kampung Kerai, one man asked his elected representative, Syed Ibrahim: “Will you come back today?”

“No, there are still many more evacuation centres to go to,” the assemblyman replied.

The man explained that there were families who have not registered in time for the aid.

In Pahang alone, nine towns are affected by the floods. Electricity and water supply have been disconnected for safety reasons in many areas for the past few days.

One lucky family in Kampung Peragap, however, had stocked up enough food and supplies before they were hit hard by the floods and miraculously still had electricity and water as of yesterday.

“I don't think what we have is enough for another week though. By then, we would have to rely on aid,” one woman said.

Even with such scarcity, the family that is already hosting four other families with almost 30 people under one roof, offered Malay Mail Online journalists a simple yet delicious lunch with sardines, pumpkin gulai, fried fish and sambal with rice.

The same woman, who did not want to be named, said she was concerned that electricity and water would be cut off because they saw that the utility pole nearby had fallen over.

Many villages are still not accessible by road and the only other way out is by boat, which must be slowly maneuvered around trees, logs and other debris washed from the river.

Temerloh Fire and Rescue Department Chief Hashnuddin Hussin led the rescue mission yesterday and told Malay Mail Online that his department has 40 men on operation in 10 boats.

He said the Royal Malaysia Police, the Malaysian Armed Forces, the Malaysian Civil Defence (JPA) also contributed boats for the daily flood operations although he was unsure of the total number.

“I think operations at this scale will continue for another week or so,” he said.

Syed Ibrahim, who is also the state executive councillor, said although there is enough food supplies, the lack of boats and helicopters to transport the goods to the flood victims remain a huge challenge.

Yesterday's trip was only to send out food items, which are expected to last the evacuees three days before another round has to be sent. Meanwhile, evacuees are expected to receive bottles of mineral water today.

Pahang, Kelantan and Terengganu have been the worst hit with more than 30,000 evacuated from each state since last week. So far, 10 deaths have been recorded.

Senior meteorologist at the National Weather Centre Dr Mohd Hisham Mohd Anip told Malay Mail Online the fourth wave of continuous rain is expected to start last night or this morning with Johore and parts of Pahang expected to receive  the heaviest rainfall.

He noted, however, it will not be as severe as in the previous days.

Najib's insurance excuse 'irrelevant', says PAS

The government's excuse that it is not declaring emergency in the states which have been badly affected by the floods, displacing about 190,000 people, to enable the victims to file insurance claims is "irrelevant", PAS Youth's legal bureau said today.

PAS Youth legal and human rights bureau (Juham) director Noorazmir Zakaria, in a statement today, noted that any individual who files for insurance claims would need to do one specifically for floods beforehand, otherwise they would not be able to claim insurances, emergency or otherwise.

Similarly, he added, even if they had bought such policies before, they could still file for insurance claims because the flooding had occurred before the emergency was declared.

"The excuse is completely irrelevant," Noorazmir (left) pointed out, in rebutting the statement made by Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak yesterday.

Juham also poured cold water on allegations that a declaration of emergency would mean the federal government would be taking over the state government's powers.

"Declaring emergency for natural disasters has nothing to do with state administration. It only pertains to managing the disaster, and not about transferring any power," Noorazmir noted.

'People do not want political rhetorics'

He further said that the people do not want "political rhetorics" at this point in time, and questioned why the federal government appears reluctant to move all federal assets to aid those suffering from the floods.

"I hope the media gives as much coverage to the floods as they did for MH370. People want the latest information on what is happening," he stressed.

Meanwhile, Kelantan flood victim Farish Aziz questioned the excuse as well, seeking "advice" as to whether individuals who did not buy additional coverage for perils such as flooding could still claim such insurance.

"It would be a form of cruelty if those who bought additional flood coverage would still have to pay the premium, yet can't claim damages because an emergency has been declared," he said in a statement.

"I represent the flood victims who would also seek your help in the form of advice regarding our claims for the damages we have suffered," he added.

 

RM500 million in aid for flood victims announced

Prime Minister Najib Razak announces that special aid, managed by the National Security Council be distributed to flood victims.

FMT

KOTA BAHARU: Prime Minister Najib Razak today announced a special aid of RM500 million for flood victims in the states affected by the disaster.

He said the fund would be managed fully by the National Security Council (MKN) and it would be disbursed after the conclusion of the floods.

“The aid will be distributed through the MKN based on the criteria to be specified,” he told reporters after making an observation by air in the districts severely affected by the floods such as Tumpat and Tanah Merah.

Najib also announced that the payment of the 1Malaysia People’s Aid (BR1M), which is scheduled for disbursement at the end of January, will be speeded up to the middle of the month.

In addition, in a move to ease the burden of the people affected, the prime minister also urged financial institutions and agencies managing loan funds to reschedule the repayment period of the borrowers.

Najib today also visited several areas that were severely affected by the floods in the state.

The PM boarded a Royal Malaysian Air Force (RMAF) helicopter to observe the affected areas which included Pasir Mas, Tumpat, Rantau Panjang and Tanah Merah.

He also met flood victims at the Temporary Relief Centre (PPS) at the Sekolah Kebangsaan Kubang Batang, Tumpat, and Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan Belimbing PPS in Tanah Merah.

Brushing aside protocol, Najib ate and drank with them lending them an ear as they told of their misery because of the floods.

- BERNAMA

Najib heads straight into disaster briefing

Back from criticised Hawaii trip, but Met warns of more storms ahead

FMT

KUALA LUMPUR: Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak headed straight for Kota Baru from his cut-short holiday in Hawaii as more people fled their homes in the worst monsoon floods in decades and weathermen forecast more rain in the week ahead.

Najib arrived at 1.40pm today and went immediately into a briefing by the National Security Council, Bernama reported. More than 132,000 are now in relief centres in eight states of the peninsula, with the East Coast, particularly Kelantan, most affected.

The government has allocated about almost RM50 million to manage relief centres, with Najib’s deputy, Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin, saying rescuers were facing challenges with power failures and roads being washed away.

Najib has faced flak for being away in Hawaii for a surprise private visit to US President Barack Obama and photographs of him playing golf with the US president drew immediate criticism as heavy rains and higher than usual tides caused widespread inundation.

Terengganu Menteri Besar Datuk Ahmad Razif Abdul Rahman was another politician who cut short an overseas trip, after also facing opposition criticism. He returned on Friday evening from his ‘umrah’ (minor pilgrimage) trip. He said he had made plans for the trip a long time ago and had also planned to fulfill a vow made over the then political instability in Terengganu and for his ailing (now late) father.

Parts of Kota Baru resembled a vast, muddy lake, with row after row of rooftops peeking out of the murky waters, news wires reported.

Air drops of supplies planned

With major roads cut off, including portions of the East-West Highway, the National Security Council said air drops of food and drinking water might be needed to aid the thousands of stranded flood victims.

The council’s disaster management secretary Mohd Ariff Baharom said the authorities were unable to enter flooded areas by helicopters due to the lack of landing of space, the New Straits Times reported. “Most of the time, rescuers know exactly where the victims are but the place is either inaccessible or unsafe for them to go (by boat) due to the strong currents. So before we are able to reach them and bring them to safe zones, we can at least provide them with food by doing an airdrop,” he was quoted saying.

There have been reports of flood victims looting homes for food and drink.

Major flood because of no hudud?

In cyberspace, I have been reading these kinds of statement these last few days.

Do some science, can we? Didn’t we send a space tourist, with the Russians, to the Space Station a while ago?

Waste not your time linking the flood to the “wrath of God”... primarily it is a Natural disaster coupled with Man’s destruction of the environment as well as the Butterfly Effect of things. Even in lands deemed very Islamic such as Kelantan and Trengganu and Pahang, Man hath shaved the hills bald even deforestating the ‘Serambi Mekah’ and although there is also a ‘Crystal Masjid’ to show piety in another state...

This is a testament, if we follow their religious explanation of events, of a defiance of the law governing the Natural State of the Universe - you shave hills for profit, you profit from logging, you become capitalists and petite bourgeoisie in religious garb, you steal from Nature to turn it into Technology and next, turn it in Capital. You do all these, you have become a religiously unethical person as well.

We saw this in Sarawak and now in Cameron Highlands. Not because there is no hudud in place. You are seeing this even in Mecca itself; with the Saudis who do not care about the environment, let alone history in the major reconstruction projects in the holy city.

There must be a joint interstate fatwa to make shaving hills in Kelantan haram to the max and also to make arguing about hudud at a time like this haram, too, I should say

But spend time not linking religion and science and making strange spurious correlations. We have to spend more time improving our disaster management plans, continuously advancing skills to the highest and more professional level, using the science of Advanced Computer Simulation to predict and control events, and to redesign habitats to ensure we do have extensive casualties and property damage when annual disaster like this strike...

“Pray to God, but tie your camel,” as they say... or rather, “Pray to God and design a 3-D camel that can help you in a major flood like this”... I’d say... "Think of new technologies for crisis management."

My prayers go to those affected by the flood... "I have been in one too many way up in the North back in the day..."

But here is the larger picture.

Are we environmentally doomed? Are we at the eleventh hour of total environmental destruction? How devastating has the impact of carbon dioxide emissions been? How serious is the depletion of the ozone layer? How much of the rainforests of the world have been destroyed? How fast are the polar ice caps melting, speeding up the looming disaster of Armageddon/ Qiamat of humankind? How many more frequent, major flash floods must we endure?

‘Man should not have carved the stone’

The Chinese philosopher and mystic Lao Tzu once said, “Man should not have carved the stone”, meaning man should not have invented things for, “... as Man began carving the stone, the process of destruction begins”.

Light bulbs, automobiles, powerplants, factories, telephone lines, bombs and computers are inventions that have historically transformed nature. Human beings ‘carve the stone’ and build structures of power and wealth which transform or even rape Nature in the process.

Ancient philosophies and the teachings of ‘revealed religion’ (of the Judeo-Christian tradition) warned against the exploitation of the physical environment so that humanity would continue to be close to Nature and closer to the realisation of the Natural Self. Buddhism, Hinduism, Confucianism, and probably the most extreme of all Hindu sects, Jainism, teaches human beings to respect living things as part of the great chain of beings.

But Western scientific ideology has taught Man to be free from not only thinking about spirits and spirituality, nature and the natural self, religion and deep reflection, but has also ‘enlightened’ human beings into mastering Nature and using its resources for the ‘progress’ of mankind. Progress, measured linearly and scientifically, is then equated with ‘civilisation’.

I hope in 2015 and beyond do not talk too much about hudud and forbidding Muslims from saying “Merry Christmas” but to focus on realism and constantly finding ways to solve social problems and how to manage natural disasters better. Or at least to start learning what pragmatism and liberalism means and how to apply these concepts to the practice of our national daily lives.

I end this essay with these two quotes:

“We did not ask you white men to come here. The Great Spirit gave us this country as a home. You had yours. We did not interfere with you. The Great Spirit gave us plenty of land to live on, and buffalo, deer, antelope and other game. But you have come here, you are taking my land from me, you are killing off our game, so it is hard for us to live.

“Now, you tell us to work for a living, but the Great Spirit did not make us to work, but to live by hunting. You white men can work if you want to. We do not interfere with you, and again you say why do you not become civilised? We do not want your civilisation! We would live as our fathers did, and their fathers before them.” - Crazy Horse of the Sioux tribe

“I was just thinking that of all the trails in this life there is one that matters most. It is the trail of a true human being.” - Kicking Bird, (quote from the movie 'Dances With Wolves')

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DR AZLY RAHMAN, born in Singapore and grew up in Johor Baru, holds a Columbia University (New York City) doctorate in International Education Development and Masters degrees in four areas: Education, International Affairs, Peace Studies and Communication. He has taught more than 40 courses in six different departments and has written more than 350 analyses on Malaysia. His teaching experience in Malaysia and the United States spans over a wide range of subjects, from elementary to graduate education. He has edited and authored six books; Multiethnic Malaysia: Past, Present, Future (2009), Thesis on Cyberjaya: Hegemony and Utopianism in a Southeast Asian State (2012), The Allah Controversy and Other Essays on Malaysian Hypermodernity (2013), a first Malay publication Kalimah Allah Milik Siapa?: Renungan dan Nukilan Tentang Malaysia di Era Pancaroba (2014), and Controlled Chaos: Essays on Mahathirism, Multimedia Super Corridor and Malaysia’s ‘New Politics’ (forthcoming 2014). He currently resides in the United States where he teaches courses in Philosophy, Cultural Studies, Political Science, and American Studies. Twitter, blog.

 

On Twitter, Malaysians unite in hope and sympathy as floods worsen

As floods inundate the east coast states, Malaysians have turned to social media to seek aid, swap information and express sympathy for the rising number of people affected.

Grainy photographs of buildings engulfed by the murky brown water, people wading their way through the streets, and animals desperately seek higher ground have flooded Twitter amid pleas for help and prayers using the hashtag #PrayForPantaiTimur or #PrayForKelantan.

A Twitter user from Kelantan, @Anahonni, said that she and the other flood victims were praying for more food donations, adding that they had been starving for over a day.

“It becomes worse and worse starting from last two nights. We can’t go anywhere, no electric," she tweeted, along with a photo of the Universiti Malaya Kelantan campus overwhelmed by the flood.

Some expressed concern they were unable to contact their friends and families affected by the floods.

“My family is one of the victims this time. I cannot contact them bcs of the poor line in the place that they’re hiding now,” tweeted @shimaziz.

Twitter user @fash4_ shared a few pictures she said she had received from her grandfather, showing a house partly submerged, while water lapped against the steps to the entrance.

“Some of these pict (sic) are received from my grandfather. I just hope they are just fine and safe,” she said.

Another user, @hamstertreeAegi shared a photograph of a house that was almost completely submerged in the waters, with only the roof and the top floor visible.

“My best friend house right now L L pray for her n her family to be safe,” wrote @hamstertreeAegi.

Those unaffected by the floods shared words of encouragement and hope for fellow Malaysians.

“The sun will shine. Always pray for it to happen. Be strong to those who are involve in those floods,” tweeted user @Fadshadow.

“I hope those students and their respective families, who are stuck in their hometown due to the flood are safe & well,” said a post from @CofeeElitist.

“The simplest thing that everybody could offer to all the victims is to pray for their safety and good health. Lets! #PrayForPantaiTimur,” wrote @azrindrahim.

User @ezzthedon said: “I love the unity shown by Malaysian during crisis.”

Malaysians have also taken advantage of Twitter to share information on how they can donate items to organisations such as the Red Crescent Society, Al-I’tisam Relief Programme, and IM4U.

As of today, more than 32,000 people have been evacuated in Kelantan since floods struck on December 16. Close to 120,000 people have been evacuated in Terengganu, Pahang, Perak, Kedah and Perlis. – December 26, 2014.

Najib on the way back, jet landed in Indianapolis

 

FLOODS LIVE BLOG Malaysiakini brings the latest updates on the flood situation as they happen.

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10.50pm: According to a Bernama report as at 9pm, the number of flood evacuees around Malaysia has increased to 120,341 people.

The number of evacuees in Kelantan remains the same at 45,467 people, while Terengganu has 34,109, and Johor, 896.

The number of evacuees has reduced in Pahang to 33,324, Perlis 209, and Kedah, one.

8.42pm: A mother waded through floods for 500m carrying her three-month-old baby before being rescued yesterday in Hulu Terengganu, as told to Bernama when met at the SK Pulau Serai flood relief centre.

Nurul Nadia Tarmizi, 31, of Kampung Mak Bah, says when the water level rose to her thigh, she had no choice but to wade through the floods with her baby.

"My husband had gone to the workshop to repair the car and could not come home by 10.30am. Saving household items did not cross my mind. I was focused on saving my baby," she says.

7.52pm: Prime Minister Najib Razak’s private jet, registered as 9M-NAA, lands in Indianapolis, Indiana, from Los Angeles at 6.52pm Malaysian time, according to online flight tracking website FlightRadar24.

The plane landed at Los Angeles airport at 1.40pm Malaysian time from Honolulu, Hawaii, where he was on holiday.

The prime minister has cut short his vacation and is expected to arrive in Kelantan tomorrow to oversee rescue operations.

7pm: Penang state government pledges RM1.5 mil to assist flood victims in other states.

State executive councillor for welfare, caring society and the environment Phee Boon Poh says of the amount, RM500,000 has been authorised for immediate use.

"This has been agreed in principle by excos and will be endorsed (formally) at the next exco meeting. All assistance will be transferred in kind, not in cash," Phee tells Malaysiakini.

Those wishing to donate in kind can do so at the Caring Society Complex from 8am to 5pm, daily.

6.01pm: The number of flood evacuees around Malaysia has increased to 119,624 people.

While the number of evacuees at Kelantan remains the same at 45,657 people, the number in Terengganu has increased to 34,884, and Johor, from 214 to 537 people.

However, the number of evacuees has reduced in Pahang (35,736 to 32,380), Perlis (263 to 209), and Kedah (96 to 28), according to a Bernama report as at 5pm.

5.48pm: The Malaysian Trades Union Congress (MTUC) urges private sector employers to consider granting paid leave to workers affected by floods.

"Private sector employers should be lenient enough to grant paid leave for their employees at a time when the floods are ravaging many states,” MTUC deputy secretary-general A Balasubramaniam was reported as saying by Bernama.

5.10pm: Kelantanese Hilmi, 36, who lives in Bachok, tells Malaysiakini flood waters in Kota Baru has risen by 60cm since morning.

Bachok is the only area in Kota Baru which is not flooded, but places such as Pantai Cahaya Bulan, Mulung, Salor, and Pengkalan Chepa are not so fortunate.

“As Bachok is near the shoreline, it is still okay. It has not been raining in Kota Baru, but the waters had risen because most of the areas are near the river,” says Hilmi, who uses his motorcycle to go around Kota Bharu to take pictures of the floods.

5.18pm: Ahmad Shabery Cheek, Kemaman MP as well as communications and multimedia minister, posts on his Facebook that the bodies of two missing victims in Pahang have been found.

4:45pm: DAP slams the archaic methods used by the states to declare state of emergency saying that "other countries do not wait for hundreds of thousands of flood refugees before declaring a state of emergency".

"There is an urgent need for the immediate review of such outmoded, archaic and obsolete rules for the declaration of states of emergency arising from a natural disaster, which is why there should be an emergency meeting of the Cabinet meeting in the next 24 hours," says DAP supremo Lim Kit Siang. 

4.33pm: DAP supremo Lim Kit Siang urges Najib to “rush back to chair a special meeting of cabinet within 24 hours to pave the way for the declaration of a state of emergency”.

In a statement, Lim urges the federal government to be more responsible over the situation in Kelantan, instead of leaving it in the hands of Jeli MP Mustapa Mohamed.

4.01pm: The flood situation in Johor worsens with 537 people evacuated from their homes, according to a tweet from the Fire Department.

The worst hit areas are Kluang with 432 evacuees, and Batu Pahat with 36 evacuees. The other areas affected include Muar, Segamat and Kulaijaya.

4pm: Following scathing criticism over his holiday in the US while floods engulf east coast of Peninsular Malaysia, PM Najib Razak says he is returning on Saturday to oversee operations.

In a statement from the Prime Minister's Oiffce, Najib, whose plane is currently in Los Angeles at press time, will convene a meeting in Kelantan upon arrival.

3:35pm: After receiving flak from DAP supremo Lim Kit Siang on the government's slow response to the serious flood situation in Kelantan, Deputy Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin has flown to flood-hit Kelantan today.

Bernama reports the DPM describing the floods as worse than anticipated, and admitting to the inadequacy of current air, water and land transportation assets.

Muhyiddin has therefore ordered the deployment of more helicopters, boats and land vehicles to reach and help the victims.

"The National Security Council (NSC) will look into this," he is reported saying.

3.02pm: The flood situation in Johor worsens with 214 people being evacuated out of their homes in the Kluang and Muar districts today.

A Bernama report says that a spokesperson from the National Security Council (NSC) said that that 201 evacuees from Kluang were transported to four relief centers. Thirteen people from Muar were also evacuated.

3pm: 118,896 evacuated so far, says a Bernama report.

The breakdown is as follows: Kelantan: 45,467; Terengganu: 31,001; Pahang: 35,736; Perak: 6,119; Johor: 214; Kedah: 96; and Perlis: 263.

2.15pm: Keretapi Tanah Melayu (KTM) reports that 10 of its stations in the East Coast have been inundated with flood waters.

1.29pm: The proposed special sitting on the hudud bill in Kelantan on Dec 29 is in limbo because the state administrative building has been flooded out.

The state secretariat has been moved to a hall in Telipot Mosque, about three kilometres away from the official building which is under one foot of water.

1.00pm: The number of flood evacuees around the peninsula has increased to a total of 105,568 people, says a Bernama report.

The number of evacuees have increased in Terengganu (30,147 to 31,001), Perak (5,530 to 6,119), and Johor (201 to 214), whereas Kelantan (32,139), Pahang (35,736), and Perlis (263) remains the same.

Kedah is the only state where the evacuees have reduced from 157 to 96 people.

1pm: Perak National Security Council says flood victims in the state has increased to 6,119, compared to 5,530 this morning, according to a Bernama tweet.

12.34pm: Selangor Menteri Besar Azmin Ali and state exco members Amirudin Shari and Daroyah Alwi are in Kelantan to hand over RM1 million to help flood victims.

The Selangor government has also allocated RM100,000 to help other flood-hit states like Terengganu, Pahang and Perak.

12.14pm: Bernama reports that the rest of the states in the west coast of peninsular Malaysia will only be experiencing flash floods due to the current inconsistent rainfall.

National Weather Center meteorology officer Mohd Hisham Mohd Anip says the predictions are based on the movement of the northeast monsoons.

11.55pm: Deputy Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin, alongside Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Shahidan Kassim and chief secretary Ali Hamsa, visit flood relief centre at SMK Pengkalan Chepa, Kelantan.

10am: Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak's Facebook posting late last night about his response to the flood situation has been trolled by netizens making sarcastic remarks about the PM’s response.

A sampling of over 7,700 comments saw Facebook users ridiculing his holiday and much publicised golf game with US President Barack Obama.

Netizen Khairul Anwar Othman commented, “It seems golf is more important than the people of Malaysia.”

“He’s playing golf it seems… Pak Jib, wait until the next election; it’s the end of you,” writes Sham Jusuh.

Meanwhile Syed Mohd Azlede states succinctly: “The PM needs to come home immediately!!!”

The photograph of the PM on the phone also raises sarcastic comments.

“Is that all he can do: make phone calls? Looks like he used the wrong photo,” wrote netizen Muhd Sufiz, while another Ahmad Jim Sung commented, “He’s just posing. Best take stock of yourself.”

“He can get the ‘best actor’ award,” laughs Mohd Azad Amir.

9.35 am: The number of flood victims in Kelantan, Terengganu, Pahang and Perak has now risen to 103,413, an increase of 9,395 victims from last night, according to a Bernama tweet.

9.05am: Selangor PAS will conduct special prayers as massive floods ravage the country, especially inundating the east coast of Peninsular Malaysia.

State PAS commissioner Iskandar Abdul Samad (left) says a convoy of more than 130 personnel departed in four batches for Kelantan and Terengganu.

“There are 27 four-wheeled drive vehicles and nine lorries, with three to 10 tonnes of necessities headed for the flood victims,” says Iskandar.

Those who would like to give donations may do so at PAS Flood Assistance Centre at Dewan Merbau, Jalan Senangin 17/2, Seksyen 17, Shah Alam, or contact Rayme Abd Rahman (018-664 5036).

8.50am: In Kelantan last night, Bernama reported that the Sultan Yahya Petra Bridge (below) connecting Kota Baru town to Pasir Pekan in Tumpat, is now closed to all vehicles after the water in Sungai Kelantan rose above the bridge.

Kota Baru district police chief ACP Rohaimi Md Isa, when contacted, says the bridge was closed to all traffic, as the situation was dangerous to road users.

The Bernama report also states that flood waters from Gua Musang and Kuala Krai are now flowing towards Kota Baru district.

8.40am: International Trade and Industry Minister Mustapa Mohamed has admitted there are weaknesses in managing and rescuing flood victims in Kelantan.

Mustapa, also the MP for Jeli, took 10 hours by boat to travel to Kuala Krai, an area which is deeply affected by the floods.

"In this a serious situation, we need a commander to manage across all the departments," he tells Astro Awani at SK Banggol Guchil this morning.

He describes this year's floods as big compared to past years and said this resulted in the government's weakness in coordinating aid.

8.30am: Yesterday, a doctor at a government clinic in Badang posted his updates on the desperate situation at his clinic, which he claimed has been cut off by the floods and is not getting any supplies.

“Oh, and yes, I would like to wish our prime minister happy holidaying in Hawaii, while our holidays have been frozen and are sacrificing our lives for the sake of our beloved citizens,” he wrote sarcastically in one posting on Christmas day.

8am: Last night Bernama reports Tenaga Nasional Berhad (TNB) has suspended the operations of 1,606 sub-stations throughout Kelantan, Pahang and Terengganu in view of the severe floods in the state.

Its Kelantan general manager, Md Yuslan Md Yusof, says that up to 6pm yesterday, the operations of 232 sub-stations in Gua Musang, 215 in Kuala Krai, 24 in Tanah Merah, 19 in Jeli, 12 in Machang, five in Tumpat and three in Kota Baru had been suspended.

TNB senior general manager (Corporate and Communications) Mohd Aminuddin Mohd Amin says the move was to avoid short-circuits which can affect 70,284 consumers.

Kelantan has the most number of consumers affected with (42,688) when the operations of 1,150 sub-stations are suspended in Kuala Krai, Gua Musang, Jeli, Machang, Tanah Merah, Kota Baru and Tumpat.

"In Terengganu, the operations of 138 sub-stations were suspended in Kemaman, Bandar Al-Muktafi Billah Shah and Dungun, involving 8,105 consumers while in Pahang, 5,878 consumers will be affected as 18 sub-stations are suspended," he says in a statement, yesterday.

He says TNB would continue to monitor the situation. The floods in Kelantan, Terengganu and Pahang continued to worsen.

The power shut down could possibly be leading to the communications failures being reported with relatives being unable to call those in the east coast states.

Screams of desperation as two drown in flood waters

The tragedy occurred in broad daylight and was captured on video. Watch only if you have the stomach for it.



FMT

KOTA BHARU: In a real-life drama that will probably leave one in tears, screams of desperation are heard piercing the air, as two young men, unable to fight against the strong undercurrent of wild river waters, succumb in exhaustion as they go under.

The heartbreaking scene was captured on video.

The two were apparently bathing in the river when strong undercurrents yanked one of them deeper into the water.

In the video, people along the banks are heard screaming out to him, trying to help him to safety but the gushing waters are seen clearly overwhelming him despite his struggles to stay afloat.

In a desperate attempt to help him, the other man tries to get closer, before he too is pulled under and the two drown amid gut-wrenching cries of utter disbelief from onlookers at the tragedy unfolding before their eyes.