LETTER | The Penang flood calamity has certainly taught us some valuable and significant lessons. One obvious scenario is where politicians from opposing camps joined hands to overcome the catastrophe for the sake of the rakyat.

Kudos to the politicians from the central government and state government who have lived up to the notion that they are the servants of the rakyat.

Even though Penang is ruled by the opposition, Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak and Deputy Prime Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi have assumed responsibility to act at once to ensure the people of Penang are safe and sound.

They know very well that Penang is their responsibility, thus they gave orders to the relevant agencies to gear up and get down to the ground to rescue Penangites from this adversity.

The care and concern shown by the PM and DPM is cogent evidence that they have put humanity above politics. The BN leadership have portrayed model statesman-like qualities, proving that the PM and DPM are certainly bold and courageous.

The announcement of RM1 billion by Najib to fund 13 flood mitigation projects in Penang further asserts the commitment and conviction of the PM’s leadership.

Across Malaysia, men and women got together putting aside racial and religious differences with a single aim in mind, to help put Penang back to order. The compassion of the bilal who accommodated the non-Muslims in a mosque is certainly commendable and he has proven himself to be a true believer of God.

As a true Muslim, his action clearly proved the point that religion always professes humanity above race, creed and colour. Even our PM has acknowledged the bilal and praised him for his actions and poise.

The generosity of Johor royalty in pledging the prize money won by the Johor Darul Takzim (JDT) football team from the Malaysia Cup win last week to the Penang flood relief fund is also certainly worthy of praise. The philanthropic Johor royal family and Johoreans reflects the spirit of true Malaysians.

This also serves as a good lesson to any state government to not indulge in rapid development especially at hilly areas, without proper studies being carried out. All development projects need to be scrutinised and must obtain the approval of all relevant departments before receiving a go-ahead signal.

Adherence to the weather warnings from the meteorology department also is vital as it could be a great opportunity to reduce the risk of damage to both people and their property.

Let's not politicise this flood fiasco but the care and attention given by the ruling government cannot be ruled out either. The true spirit and compassion of the leaders towards fellow Malaysians are clearly reflected in this flooding scenario.

It is hoped that the rakyat will understand better the care, compassion, struggle and sacrifices of the ruling government, which prioritises humanity and the rakyat’s wellbeing above all.

The views expressed here are those of the author/contributor and do not necessarily represent the views of Malaysiakini.