Batang Sadong MP Rodiyah Sapiee and Kota Belud MP Isnaraissah Munirah Majilis are calling for improvements to flood evacuation procedures, citing concerns that victims often have little to no time to gather essentials before being relocated to relief centres.
Rodiyah, speaking during a Kamar Khas session in Parliament, pointed out that evacuations frequently happen in the early hours of the morning, catching many residents off guard.
“For everyone’s knowledge, flood victims are usually not evacuated during the day. Most evacuations happen at night—3am, 2am, 4am,” she said during a parliament special chamber session recently.
“That is why I understand the situation faced by the emergency responders, because these things happen suddenly. However, we are deeply troubled when victims are forced to evacuate at such early hours, as they have no time to bring necessities like food, baby formula, or other essential supplies.”
She noted that families with infants, elderly residents, and persons with disabilities (OKU) are particularly affected, as they require additional time and resources to relocate safely.
Beyond the logistical challenges of evacuations, Rodiyah also flagged concerns about coordination between agencies, which she said has led to delays in aid distribution.
“The lack of coordination between agencies involved has caused delays in aid distribution to those who need it most,” she said.
“Transparency in aid allocation is still a concern, with many victims claiming they did not receive the assistance they were entitled to.”
Kota Belud MP Isnaraissah Munirah Majilis echoed Rodiyah’s concerns, acknowledging that rescue teams face limitations in managing evacuations but stressing that improvements are necessary.
“I fully support the earlier remarks by the Honourable Rodiyah Sapiee regarding evacuations,” she said.
“It is not that people choose to evacuate at 3am or 4am, but rescue operations have to be conducted one by one. Some people are rescued earlier, some later. Given that our emergency responders and assets are very limited, this is unavoidable.”
Isnaraissah also highlighted the need for flood prevention efforts, saying mitigation should be a priority alongside emergency response.
“Personally, I would rather focus on implementing measures to prevent floods from happening in the first place, instead of only thinking about rescue operations,” she said.
As flood risks continue to escalate in Sabah and Sarawak, both MPs are urging the government to reassess its disaster management strategies, particularly in ensuring that evacuees have adequate time to secure essential documents, medication, and personal items before being relocated. – February 7, 2025
