VILLAGERS IN MASSIVE CLEANUP
Jawi residents complain of lack of state assistance
VILLAGERS affected by the flash flood, which hit several villages in Jawi here on Saturday, returned to their homes yesterday for a massive clean-up. However, most of them are still staying at Dewan Serbaguna Jawi’s temporary flood relief centre.
Villagers said as far as they could remember, Saturday’s flash flood was the worst in nearly six decades.
Many of them failed to salvage their personal belongings as the floodwaters rose to chest-level within minutes.
M. Selvam, 52, from Kampung Setul, said the flash flood was further aggravated when the red-earth bund at Sungai Jawi, not far from the village, gave way.
“This resulted in Sungai Jawi overflowing its banks. The gushing water also brought with it thick layers of mud.”
Checks showed that almost all electrical items and furniture in the houses were covered in mud. Even Selvam’s two cars were not spared.
“Nothing could be saved as I was alone. By the time I realised it, the water had entered the house and rose quickly.
“I am the third generation staying in this house after my grandparents and parents. It has been flooding here at least twice a month for the last 60 years.
“However, this is by far the worst incident,” he said.
Selvam said no officials from the Penang state government had come to their aid after the incident.
“This would not have happened if the state had built a concrete bund. Even an illiterate person knows that a bund made of red earth is a no-no.”
Selvam said he had had enough of the floods and was contemplating moving to another location.
Another resident C. Visalani, 28, recalled how the family waited for boats to ferry them to safety on Saturday.
“There were only our elderly grandmother, women and children at home as all the men were out.
“My children were crying and my immobile grandmother was on her bed which was floating in the floodwaters.
“There was nothing we could do. The situation was so chaotic that my 2-monthold baby who was asleep in the crib was also wet,” she said.
As for Mohamad Shaiful Arif, 22, he was busy helping other villagers to safety that he did not salvage his belongings.
“Last time, the floods were only kneedeep, never had it rose to chest-level like on Saturday. We have complained to the state government many times but all seemed to have fallen on deaf ears.
“We have to pool our own money to get food for the affected villagers. No one came to offer help,” he said.
Some 20 families from five villages in Jawi here were evacuated on Saturday night. The 71 occupants were ordered to leave their houses about 8pm.
Among the affected villages were Kampung Sungai Baung, Kampung Sethu, Kampung Sungai Duri, Kampung Jawi and Kampung Lima. The flood also caused the main road connecting Kampung Sungai Baung to Relau, Kedah, to be cut off.