The Shah Alam floods.

 Fri 24.12.2021.

We went to Subang Jaya, Wednesday, to see our eldest with wife and daughter, victims of the Sri Muda "flood of the decade". We couldn't go earlier because he wasn't evacuated yet. They were lucky because they are on the 5th floor of the apartment, and their car on the 2nd floor of the car park. The 1st floor car park was inudated. When No.2 son sent the whatsapp video of the evacuation, the wife just cried, cried softly gazing into her smartphone.

I took Dekna's MPV because it rides high, and there was still danger of road floodings. We took the Putra Heights highway because the Federal highway reported danger on some stretches, and the Shah Alam highway was flooded in one bad spot. I didn't put on "waze" because it consumes battery, and I was sure I could find my way coming from the west to SJ.  I couldn't. Fortunately, I decided to top up fuel although Dekna insisted that the less-than-half gauge reading should be enough. So wandering around the myriad of  multiple junctions on top of so many multitiered roads in the SJ-USJ-SA townships with a loaded tank removed any fear of being stranded. After all wasn't much of my schooling and working life spent around these parts 20 years ago ? I can't possibly get lost. But if I didn't eventually see the "Subang Parade" building, I could have ! Once I saw it, I knew where I was, and made it to No.2 Son's house. We left Seremban at about 12.15 p.m. We arrived before 3. Not too bad lah.

We hardly stepped into the house before everybody inside started unloading the horrific stories of both human kindness and the irresponsible authorities. Both stories are continuing to be piling up on the media right this minute. Would you believe it, the MMMC is said to be even trying to interfere with the news, when the responsible sister government agencies should have stepped up, own up and push on !

This was said to be one of the worst floods affecting the KL-PJ-SJ-SA conurbation in decades.  That may well be true. But I see, read and hear for myself, and declare that this was the worst example of a government's total failure at a job they are supposed to be on top of. Once exposed, instead of making up for lost time, they dwell on giving unwanted  excuses. Shame on them !

Fortunately, human kindness hasn't been lost among Malaysians. We can only be thankful to God that there are still very many amongst us who don't hesitate to do our bit to assisst our fellow human beings in their hour of distress.  Words and pictures cannot do justice to the acts of mercy shown. Food and drinks, clothings and even boats were offered to help those stranded. My son said their power supply was quickly lost, and the disfunctional refrigerator was earlier already bereft of food. They benefitted from the public assisstance.

The political figures did eventually show their faces, sounded their voices. But all were "after the fact". These are the people who were quick to redress "political wrongs" in Melaka and Sarawak recently, but were less than quick to act, when it's a duty to do so, not an option.  People won't forget. People shouldn't.

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