KUALA LUMPUR: Sungai Buloh Member of Parliament Datuk Seri R. Ramanan will be submitting a request to the Social Welfare Department (JKM) to establish an emergency supplies storage centre in preparation for flood incidents in the constituency.
Ramanan, who is also Deputy Minister of Entrepreneur Development and Cooperatives, said the request will be channelled through Minister of Women, Family and Community Development Datuk Seri Nancy Shukri to facilitate and expedite the distribution of essential items to the public more efficiently.
“In addition, I will also be appealing to the Selangor government to speed up the Flood Mitigation Project in the Sungai Buloh parliamentary constituency to prevent such incidents from recurring,” he said in a Facebook post.
He also suggested that a coordination meeting involving all relevant agencies be held soon for this purpose.
He pointed out that more than 100 houses, including those in Kampung Paya Jaras Hilir, Kampung Kubu Gajah, Taman Seri Alam and several surrounding areas, were affected by flash floods following continuous heavy rain since yesterday.
As of 1.20 pm today, Ramanan said nearly 200 families had been relocated to temporary evacuation centres (PPS), involving PPS Dewan MBSA Seri Pagi (26 families); PPS Dewan Kenanga PDT Petaling (59 families); PPS Dewan Bunga Matahari (22 families); and PPS SK Merbau Sempak (100 families).
Ramanan, who also surveyed the affected areas, expressed his gratitude to all parties for their prompt and effective cooperation in addressing the situation, including the Sungai Buloh Parliamentary Constituency Service Centre and the Sungai Buloh PKR Division, in collaboration with the Residents’ Representative Council, village heads, and relevant government agencies.
“We will continue to monitor the current situation and ensure that all necessary measures are taken to safeguard the safety and welfare of residents.
Besides Sungai Buloh, other districts in Selangor affected by flash floods include Petaling Jaya and Subang Jaya.
Meanwhile, speaking to Bernama after checking on flood victims’ condition at PPS Dewan Seri Pagi Paya Jaras, Ramanan said building an emergency supply centre in Sungai Buloh is crucial to ensure that aid could be delivered promptly to those affected.
“If we look at the flood-affected areas like Paya Jaras and Kampung Kubu Gajah, they are under the Shah Alam City Council (MBSA). That’s why the tents for flood victims at PPS Dewan Seri Pagi Paya Jaras arrived late. They had to be taken from a storage unit in Shah Alam.
“We’re concerned that if, for example, floods happen at night, supplies for victims will arrive late due to traffic congestion or road closures. That’s why we want these matters to handled promptly during emergencies,” he said.
Ramanan said that apart from heavy rainfall, overflowing water from Sungai Gombak also contributed to the swift rise of river levels in the area and caused erosion of embankments.
“My team will ensure that the victims’ welfare is looked after. Volunteers will be stationed in flood-affected areas to assist with house-cleaning efforts, especially for homes belonging to persons with disabilities and senior citizens,” he added.
