How December 2021 floods pushed local NGOs to be better prepared in facing the monsoon season

KUALA LUMPUR, December 22 — Hamdan Haji Abu was vacationing with his family in Johor Bahru when his holiday was interrupted by a barrage of calls from unknown numbers.

It was around 1am in the morning on December 18 last year when he started receiving the calls which followed by WhatAapp messages, with one asking ‘Sir, are you a rescuer? We’re sinking’.

After taking a moment to process the messages, Hamdan realised that the monsoon flooding had hit.

Hamdan is the Malaysian Amateur Radio Transmitter Society (MARTS) disaster and emergency communication centre head coordinator.

Amateur radio service is a radio communication service, where a station is used for the purpose of self-training, intercommunication and technical investigations.

The service can only be carried out by licensed individuals who are interested in radio technique solely with a personal aim and without any pecuniary interest.

In Malaysia, MARTS is regulated by the Communication and Multimedia Commission and they are one of many amateur radio clubs in Malaysia.

MARTS emergency and disaster communication centre head coordinator Hamdan Haji Abu, testing his radio equipment in front of his house in Semenyih. — Picture by Raymond Manuel.

“I called them back, explained that I’m not a rescuer but I would help forward location and details to the authorised agencies. So they shared and I forwarded it.

“I managed to get in contact with one of the National Disaster Command Centres (NDCC) and shared the information. It is my responsibility to share that information.

“I then called the victim again and when he told me the fire and rescue department had come to their rescue. I was relieved and satisfied,” Hamdan told Malay Mail.

During last year’s flood that hit the Klang Valley hard, MARTS assisted government agencies to manage flood communications by sharing information on flood victims’ status and locations.

Their teams of amateur radio operators were also involved in providing communication service to the agencies as telephone communications in some areas such as Sri Muda, Shah Alam and Hulu Langat, were disrupted.

The amateur radio club which has been around since 1952, has been helping with communication efforts during past disasters including the 2004 tsunami and the 2014 floods which engulfed the East Coast states.

“These last few months, MARTS have been encouraging our members to always be on alert by making sure their radio communication station is in top notch condition.

“Meanwhile our technical teams who are in charge of the network infrastructure for our repeaters are doing their best to make sure radio communication services in Malaysia are up to date and well-maintained.

“We are also in close communication with national disaster agencies to get the latest and accurate information on incidents at all times,” said the society’s honorary secretary Zanirul Akhmar.

Following the ongoing flood that has affected over 60,000 people in several areas including Kelantan, Terengganu, Johor, Perak and Pahang, the MARTS team is on standby.

In a latest update, MARTS have activated their Disaster and Emergency Communication Centre in Seri Kembangan on Tuesday to focus on providing radio services in the East Coast states.

From free burial services to helping out flood victims

The Murtadha Dakwah Centre's Hang Cangkul team along with an APM member on their flood relief mission in Terengganu. — Picture courtesy of Muhammad Ridzuan Osman.

Muhammad Ridzuan Osman is a volunteer at Sungai Petani-based NGO, Murtadha Dakwah Centre, and also the team leader for the Team Hang Cangkul squad which offers free burial services to the public.

They have around 200 registered volunteers from all over Malaysia, with the majority of them in Kedah.

All volunteers are prepped with training by the Civil Defense Force (APM) and the Civil Defense Emergency Response Team (CDERT) involving disaster management such as conducting rescue missions during floods, emergency lifesaving procedures as well as boat handling.

“So our focus is not just burial services, that’s just part of our operations.

“We’ve been involved with a few missions previously such as the flood in Sri Muda, Kuala Selangor and Pahang as well as the water surge phenomenon in Yan and Ijoi, Baling.

“This is why we’ve attended courses with the defence agencies. At least all of our volunteers are prepared and they have the basic knowledge to manage these kinds of emergencies.”

Ridzuan added when it comes to flood, they would usually divide their team into three main teams with the first one being their first responder team who will get to ground zero with their boat team to rescue victims.

Second team is in charge of delivering ready-to-eat meals to victims at the flood relief centres along with clothes and blankets while the third team handles clean ups.

They would normally mobilise at least 100 volunteers to assist flood victims with the post-flood clean ups.

Ridzuan also points out how it’s crucial for NGOs and other volunteers to liaise with any disaster or defence agencies operating in the area before going on a flood relief mission.

“When it comes to floods or any other disasters, please refer to the defence or disaster agencies as they would be in charge in these matters.

“Any kind of assistance you’re offering can get sorted out but it has to go through the agencies so it can be synchronised, there’s no need to just barge into the affected area.

“It’s not that you can’t enter the area, you at least need an APM officer or the police or bomba to accompany you, for safety reasons as the area is still prone to danger,” Ridzuan said.

Ridzuan and his team are currently in Hulu Besut, Terengganu, handing out assistance to the victims there.

Saujana Utama volunteers on high alert

The volunteer fire and rescue team of Saujana Utama in Sungai Buloh. — Picture via Facebook/ Pasukan Bomba Sukarela Saujana Utama.

Meanwhile the volunteer fire and rescue team of Saujana Utama (PBSSU) in Sungai Buloh have been on high alert all year long.

According to PBSSU chief Azman Razak, there has only been one emergency case involving flood in the area this year, which was the flash flood at the Persiaran Mokhtar Dahari heading towards Alam Budiman that caused the route to be temporarily closed.

However he admitted that they have been receiving more calls relating to bad weather recently with most of it involving fallen trees or branches that have blocked some roads in the Saujana Utama area.

They could get up to seven calls in one day from the public complaining about fallen trees blocking the roads.

The volunteering firemen is also no stranger to calls relating to wild animals encounters with cases involving snakes happening almost every week.

In preparation for the monsoon season, the PBSSU team has undergone several flood preparation training this year with some fire and rescue departments including Kota Anggerik, Bestari Jaya and Sungai Buloh fire and rescue teams.

The small team of 35 volunteers has managed to raise funds from the public to buy three raft boats along with two engines in case of flood as that was the case last December.

PBSSU was called to action and has helped with evacuating and post-flood clean up operations in Sungai Buloh area.

However their rescuing efforts were restricted due to lack of lifesaving equipment.

Following a report by the meteorology department regarding high tides warning in Terengganu in the next several days which could lead to another flood, some volunteers from PBSSU will also be heading to the east coast state this December 23.