Taman Sri Muda residents mull mass protest over recurring floods

Summary

• Taman Sri Muda residents in Shah Alam want the Selangor state government to address flood issues in the area as soon as possible.

• They claim three new water pumps installed last year did not function and caused the area to be flooded twice this year.

• The residents give the state government a week to respond or face a mass protest.

Residents of Taman Sri Muda in Shah Alam today gave the state government and authorities seven days to address flood woes in the area or face a mass protest.

They claimed three new water pumps installed by the government last year, under a multi-million ringgit project, have failed to function when needed and saw the area flooded twice this year.

Spokesperson Umagandhan Krishnan told a press conference that residents are already traumatised and living in constant fear whenever it rains heavily.

“We give the government and authorities until noon this coming Sunday (April 20).

“If there is still no news from the government - either federal or state - the menteri besar, prime minister, relevant MP, state assemblyperson, or council member by then, at 2pm we will mobilise a protest in Taman Sri Muda.

“We will hold a mass protest. Because we cannot wait anymore. We believe there is no other solution, we have to act on our own,” he told reporters this afternoon.

Umagandhan held the press conference at a sluice gate in Taman Sri Muda and was accompanied by some 30 residents affected by the issue.

The activist, who is also a resident, said the housing area had been hit by floods twice this year despite the government having completed its water pumps project to address the problem last year.

The latest incident was four days ago, which he said happened after heavy rain hit the area for several hours and affected hundreds of houses, many inundated by a “knee-deep” flood that was mixed with waste from nearby sewage ponds.

According to Umagandhan, several residents, including himself, then went to check on the water pumps but were denied entry.

However, he claimed a worker informed the residents that the new water pumps could not function because there was no electricity.

During a massive flood in December 2021, Taman Sri Muda was among the worst-affected areas, with most houses inundated by flood waters over 3m deep in some areas. Thousands were displaced, and 14 people died.

According to news reports, the Selangor state government installed three new screw pumps in Taman Sri Muda last year under a RM7.4 million project.

Selangor executive councillor Izham Hashim, who is in charge of state infrastructure and agriculture, reportedly said the pumps have the capacity of pumping 1,700 litres of water per second.

Adding further, Umagandhan also complained about a new development project just beside the sluice gate, which he claimed can worsen the risk of floods.

Trauma after three days on the roof

Meanwhile, several residents met by Malaysiakini during the press conference expressed their frustration over the recurring problem and said their complaints had fallen on deaf ears.

Private sector employee Suzana Kassim, 55, said her family suffered huge losses due to floods during their 30 years in Taman Sri Muda and urged the government to pay attention to their woes.

“We have been hit by floods many times. (In 2021) My house was fully submerged in a flood, nothing could be saved.

“I had to spend a lot to repair my house. It took months to repair. Luckily, I am still working. Can you imagine the suffering of those who don’t have income?” she said.

A contractor who only wanted to be identified as Parasuraman, 42, said the residents are living in constant fear of rain.

He said his family had suffered losses due to floods, including two of their cars being badly damaged.

“Flood occurs here almost every year, and this has caused trauma to residents, especially when it rains.”

Another resident who identified himself as Siddhart, 40, said his children are traumatised after they had to spend three days on the roof during the 2021 flood.

“They are so scared whenever they hear rain. They are traumatised and always asking if our house is going to be flooded again.

“I suffered losses between RM60,000 and RM80,000 in the incident, including (the cost) to repair my car,” he said.

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