Lessons from the floods
By JOHAN JAAFFAR
THE BOWERBIRD WRITES
The true colours of humanity emerge in trying times. For Malaysia, it was during the misfortune caused by the recent environmental disaster.
THE floods that inundated many parts of Selangor, the Federal Territory of Kuala Lumpur and Pahang two weeks ago were reminiscent of what happened in New Orleans, Louisiana in August 2005.
The devastation caused by Hurricane Katrina illustrated the mismanagement and lack of preparation in the relief effort on the part of the government.
Thousands of people were trapped in their homes and stranded on rooftops, while those placed in shelters were left without food, water and proper sanitation. More than 1,800 people perished and the economic cost ran into billions of dollars.
THE floods that inundated many parts of Selangor, the Federal Territory of Kuala Lumpur and Pahang two weeks ago were reminiscent of what happened in New Orleans, Louisiana in August 2005.
The devastation caused by Hurricane Katrina illustrated the mismanagement and lack of preparation in the relief effort on the part of the government.
Thousands of people were trapped in their homes and stranded on rooftops, while those placed in shelters were left without food, water and proper sanitation. More than 1,800 people perished and the economic cost ran into billions of dollars.
The condemnation came fast. The New Orleans mayor at the time, Ray Nagin, was lambasted for inaction. President Bush Jr, who initially praised the Federal Emergency Management Agency (Fema), had to live with his mistake. Fema was asleep while 80% of New Orleans was submerged in water.
Fast forward 16 years and our National Disaster Management Agency (Nadma) is vilified for the same reason. Images of people caught in traffic jams, stranded fearfully in their homes and on the rooftops of mosques and buildings, captured on social media shocked the nation. The heavy rain since Friday (Dec 17) was a warning that things will get from bad to worse.
Yet even as many parts of the Klang Valley were experiencing the heaviest rainfall in recent memory, the authorities were hesitant to react to the call for help. There was no command and control. Or anyone to authorise the utilisation of critical assets to help the victims.
It is the people who rose to the occasion. Social media became a powerful tool to galvanise people’s movement to help the needy.
There are simply too many stories of goodness and kindness. While many have given up on fellow Malaysians to be kind and to understand each other – largely because of bigotry and political divisions – people from all walks of life, regardless of race and religion, were helping each other in times of adversity. The true colours of humanity emerge in trying times. For Malaysia, it was during the misfortune caused by the flood.
I visited the Gurdwara Sahib in Petaling Jaya on Dec 26. It was a scene that was both gratifying and humbling. Volunteers from all races were there to help. The place was bustling with activity.
Contributions came in and were later distributed with military precision. There are many such centres sprouting all over the country by religious groups, NGOs and individuals to give a helping hand. People came from all over bringing food and basic amenities to alleviate the pain of those affected.
Suddenly volunteerism is taking a new form. The young, especially, reacted in the most commendable way. As the true horror of the flood surfaced in the morning of Dec 18, volunteers were already in full gear preparing food, trying to save the stranded and readying them for temporary shelters. All these actions took place while the government was still unsure of what to do. Sadly, for many, Nadma, like Fema in 2005, did not react the way they should have. Like Fema in 2005, it failed spectacularly.
While it is true no one expected such floods to happen in Selangor and the Federal Territory of Kuala Lumpur, every sensible person knows floods are inevitable these days. In the east coast, the monsoon will bring mayhem normally in December and January. Yet, in 2014, we failed to prepare adequately. Kelantan experienced one of the worst floodings. But the lingering image at the time was our then prime minister playing golf with President Barack Obama in Hawaii.
Things are no better this time. Political leaders are quick to point fingers at each other. Some are conspicuously absent, a few are busy printing their pictures on aid packages while those who wanted to endear themselves to the public became the target of people’s ire for their insensitivity and even stupidity. But then, there are many Members of Parliament and state representatives who served the people admirably without the glare of publicity.
It is foolish of us not to accept the fact that climate change is real. We are largely to be blamed. Moral of the story: we must take care of the environment and protect it. We have made mistakes in the past. There are housing areas and developments that shouldn’t have been approved in the first place. We have little regard for our rivers. We desecrate our jungles.
Even Zainal Abidin, the singer known for his signature song Hijau, was not spared this time. His house was among thousands affected by the floods. The lyrics of the song were about the death of the environment. Had only we listened carefully to the lyrics of Hijau or at least part of it, perhaps things would have been different:
Dewasa ini kita saling merayakan
Kejayaan yang akhirnya membinasakan
(For now we gather to celebrate,
The success which finally destroys us)
Spot on, Zainal!
Fast forward 16 years and our National Disaster Management Agency (Nadma) is vilified for the same reason. Images of people caught in traffic jams, stranded fearfully in their homes and on the rooftops of mosques and buildings, captured on social media shocked the nation. The heavy rain since Friday (Dec 17) was a warning that things will get from bad to worse.
Yet even as many parts of the Klang Valley were experiencing the heaviest rainfall in recent memory, the authorities were hesitant to react to the call for help. There was no command and control. Or anyone to authorise the utilisation of critical assets to help the victims.
It is the people who rose to the occasion. Social media became a powerful tool to galvanise people’s movement to help the needy.
There are simply too many stories of goodness and kindness. While many have given up on fellow Malaysians to be kind and to understand each other – largely because of bigotry and political divisions – people from all walks of life, regardless of race and religion, were helping each other in times of adversity. The true colours of humanity emerge in trying times. For Malaysia, it was during the misfortune caused by the flood.
I visited the Gurdwara Sahib in Petaling Jaya on Dec 26. It was a scene that was both gratifying and humbling. Volunteers from all races were there to help. The place was bustling with activity.
Contributions came in and were later distributed with military precision. There are many such centres sprouting all over the country by religious groups, NGOs and individuals to give a helping hand. People came from all over bringing food and basic amenities to alleviate the pain of those affected.
Suddenly volunteerism is taking a new form. The young, especially, reacted in the most commendable way. As the true horror of the flood surfaced in the morning of Dec 18, volunteers were already in full gear preparing food, trying to save the stranded and readying them for temporary shelters. All these actions took place while the government was still unsure of what to do. Sadly, for many, Nadma, like Fema in 2005, did not react the way they should have. Like Fema in 2005, it failed spectacularly.
While it is true no one expected such floods to happen in Selangor and the Federal Territory of Kuala Lumpur, every sensible person knows floods are inevitable these days. In the east coast, the monsoon will bring mayhem normally in December and January. Yet, in 2014, we failed to prepare adequately. Kelantan experienced one of the worst floodings. But the lingering image at the time was our then prime minister playing golf with President Barack Obama in Hawaii.
Things are no better this time. Political leaders are quick to point fingers at each other. Some are conspicuously absent, a few are busy printing their pictures on aid packages while those who wanted to endear themselves to the public became the target of people’s ire for their insensitivity and even stupidity. But then, there are many Members of Parliament and state representatives who served the people admirably without the glare of publicity.
It is foolish of us not to accept the fact that climate change is real. We are largely to be blamed. Moral of the story: we must take care of the environment and protect it. We have made mistakes in the past. There are housing areas and developments that shouldn’t have been approved in the first place. We have little regard for our rivers. We desecrate our jungles.
Even Zainal Abidin, the singer known for his signature song Hijau, was not spared this time. His house was among thousands affected by the floods. The lyrics of the song were about the death of the environment. Had only we listened carefully to the lyrics of Hijau or at least part of it, perhaps things would have been different:
Dewasa ini kita saling merayakan
Kejayaan yang akhirnya membinasakan
(For now we gather to celebrate,
The success which finally destroys us)
Spot on, Zainal!
Hurricane Katrina was a key factor in destroying Dubya's credibility as President.
ReplyDeleteIn Malaysia, the majority will return Kerajaan Allah with a landslide majority in GE15.
Actually Nothing is Learnt from the People and ah long and sue tan and those Pariah Kerajaan Gagal #2 Ismail Stupid...... PEOPLE NEED TO LEARN TO HENTAM THESE BANGSAT AND HIJRAH-KAN THEM TO MECCA OR INDONESIA FOREVER.....Let them start their Kalifate in those Bangsat Nation
ReplyDelete