PETALING JAYA: Despite Klang becoming the 20th city in Malaysia on Nov 23 last year, residents continue to complain about poor drainage infrastructure and inadequate maintenance.
With the country entering the monsoon transition phase starting Sept 24 until early November, thunderstorms are expected nationwide, raising the risk of flash floods and causing worry among Taman Melawis residents.
Thunderstorms, typically accompanied by heavy rain and strong winds, are anticipated in the late afternoons and early evenings, causing anxiety among the residents due to the poor drainage system in the area.
Resident Jason H.L. Lee, 48, who has lived in Taman Melawis for 31 years, expressed concern about the recurring floods in the housing estate, which has been happening for several years.
He said since the neighbourhood is over 50 years old, the drainage system is too small to handle heavy rainfall, causing run-off water to rise quickly even after a downpour of just 30 minutes.
“Although the Klang Royal City Council has upgraded the watergates in response to our complaints, upgrading the drains to larger ones is also vital to effectively address the flood problem.
“The watergate upgrading process should have taken three to four years to complete, but we are still waiting for it to be finished.”
Lee said the flash floods are also partly caused by the residents themselves, who do not fully appreciate the importance of keeping the drainage system clog-free.
“Some residents throw rubbish, causing the drains to get clogged while others cover the drains during home renovations without considering the impact their actions have in contributing to flash floods.
“Everyone complains about the problem, so whenever water rises during rain, we update our community WhatsApp group, but not everyone recognises the need to be civic-conscious and not throw rubbish into the drains.”
Lee said the indifference and selfishness of such residents in not correcting their behaviour has hindered effective community action to address the flash flood problems.
Another resident, who gave his name only as Nathan, 40, said Taman Melawis has been experiencing floods for a long time, but the situation was previously not as severe as there were fewer housing developments.
“However, more new homes have been built and this, coupled with poorly designed drains, has caused blockages and ineffective water flow, which has worsened the flooding.
“We urge the council to establish a more efficient drainage system to replace the existing problematic infrastructure. The current drains are inadequate for handling heavy rainfall, which is the main cause of the frequent flash floods.”
Nathan echoed Lee’s opinion that some residents made things worse by dumping rubbish into the drains, causing blockages.
He said when flooding occurs, rubbish can be seen floating everywhere, adding that since the neighbourhood is over 50 years old, the drainage system is outdated and needs to be upgraded.
Nathan also said despite numerous reports to council members regarding the issues, inspections are only conducted twice a year, which is insufficient to effectively monitor or maintain the drainage system.
He said the limited frequency of inspections has failed to address the ongoing problems, leaving the area prone to flash floods.
“Regular assessments should be carried out to ensure that the drainage system can cope with the increased demands of the growing population in Taman Melawis.”
Nathan said residents also bear responsibility and cannot depend entirely on the neighbourhood committee to take care of all the issues.
“We shouldn’t blame the city council alone as it is already working to address the issue.”
