Taman Sri Muda: Challenges of surviving, recovering from floods
It has been more than a week since Taman Sri Muda in Shah Alam, Selangor was hit by devastating flash floods which persisted for days.
The situation on the ground is improving, the floodwaters have receded and residents are hard at work cleaning up their homes.
But surviving the floods poses its own challenges, with residents...
It has been more than a week since Taman Sri Muda in Shah Alam, Selangor was hit by devastating flash floods which persisted for days.
The situation on the ground is improving, the floodwaters have receded and residents are hard at work cleaning up their homes.
But surviving the floods poses its own challenges, with residents telling Malaysiakini that they're still in need of aid.
One immediate need is food. Many residents have had their vehicles waterlogged and with most shops in the area closed, access to food supplies remains a challenge.
"The residents can't buy from us yet. And they have no vehicles to go out to buy their daily necessities," a mini-mart owner who wished to be known only as Tan told Malaysiakini.
He said it would be a while before businesses re-open, with owners in the area reportedly suffering losses totalling in the six-digit range.
"I have not had time to open my shop. Our shop was badly damaged. We need a long time before we can reopen," Tan added.
The business owner himself relies on food aid from friends living outside Taman Sri Muda.
"Plus, we're busy cleaning the shop and our house. There's no time to cook," he said.
Rebuilding after floods
In addition, there is the problem of rebuilding after the floods.
The government has promised to give RM1,000 in flood aid per household, but for the residents of Taman Sri Muda, this isn't enough.
Several residents Malaysiakini met over the weekend said their houses were not covered by insurance.
Ganapathy, 50, said he was at a loss with what to do.
"I see my own house and I get a headache. If I wanted to sell it, no one would buy it. The aid the government is giving is not enough. All my belongings are damaged. The total damage is RM60,000.
"My house is not insured, and my car is not insured for floods," he added.
Another resident, Muhammad Azwan, said his losses amounted to around RM10,000.
"It is difficult to survive (with the government aid), and if I can survive I would have to live in an uncomfortable situation," the 53-year-old said.
One resident, who wished to be known as Bob, was blunter in his assessment of government aid.
"Is RM1,000 enough to even repair a house? This flood was man-made," he said.
But it's not just homeowners who were affected.
A factory bus owner, M Gobi, said 13 of his buses were badly damaged by the floods with the total repair bill exceeding RM300,000.
"Each bus needs around RM20,000 to RM30,000 to fix. When I went to the workshop, the mechanic said I have to wait because too many vehicles were damaged.
"If I wait too long, the buses will rust, which will be more losses. The fruits of 20 years of work are washed away in a day," the 47-year-old said.
Gobi hoped the government would make special considerations for aid to entrepreneurs and business owners in Taman Sri Muda.
Out-of-towner hopes for RM1,000 aid
Meanwhile, one out-of-towner who was trapped in Taman Sri Muda by the floods hoped he too would get at least the RM1,000 aid.
The CCTV installer who wished to be known as Sarbi said he came from Kedah to Shah Alam to install cameras at a shop in Taman Sri Muda.
"On Friday night, I slept at a hotel here. That night the floods hit and I was trapped here for eight days. My car is damaged, I can't even open the door," he said, adding that he hoped the government would consider his case.
While the residents and business owners wait for more government aid, for now at least, there are volunteers still helping out, providing food, supplies and replacement household items to help the rebuilding efforts.
According to Kota Kemuning assemblyperson V Ganabatirau, there are more than 14,000 homes and shops in Taman Sri Muda.
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