When PJ's flood sirens fell silent

 

Heavy rain triggered flash floods across parts of the Klang Valley today, disrupting traffic and leaving several vehicles stranded in rising waters, particularly in Petaling Jaya. - PIC CREDIT: SOCIAL MEDIA

Victims of last week's flash floods in Petaling Jaya are wondering if the perimeter rivers, the primary cause of the deluge, have minds of their own.

Flood sirens installed at Sungai Bakul, the Sungai Penchala corridor, the Sungai Subang and Sungai Buloh basins, the Shah Alam border zones and the Puchong and Southern Belts failed to activate on time.

Major parts of Petaling Jaya — Section 51, Section 51A, Kelana Jaya, parts of Damansara and the epicentre, Medan Selera 223 — were inundated, submerging vehicles and forcing the deployment of emergency response teams.

Residents uploaded videos and photographs of rising floodwaters on social media from Sections 13 and 17, Kota Damansara, Kampung Tunku and parts of Damansara Perdana.

Distressed traders and residents lamented the heavily blocked drains. One distraught widow lost two cars in two flash floods.

As river water levels rose, people went about their business seemingly unaware that alerts should have been activated.

Here is what should have happened: flood sirens activating when river levels, rainfall gauges and monitoring stations cross a threshold.

But if the water rises too fast, the siren system activation is delayed or may not cover all flood-prone areas while the blaring may not be audible to some residents.

Obviously, the system needs urgent review: did it malfunction or work too late to salvage property? Based on reports, extreme, rapid flooding may have exposed the sirens' limitations. In the 40-minute thunderstorm, a huge 60mm of rainfall forced back water that rushed from upstream Kuala Lumpur, causing the river channel to bust its banks.

Ironically, the Irrigation and Drainage Department's (DID) upgrading works to alleviate floods created artificial bottlenecks. Sungai Klang hit maximum capacity, preventing Sungai Penchala from draining out, resulting in severe backflow that pushed back water into Petaling Jaya's drainage systems. Sungai Damansara and its tributaries choked, compromising the drainage grid and curtailing surface water run-off.

From the heavens, an electric thunderstorm sent down a deluge surpassing drainage thresholds.

Due to intense urbanisation and sedimentation, waterways narrowed because of embankment repairs and clogged drains stifled water flow in affected areas.

Reduced natural water absorption and paved surfaces saw accumulated rainwater rush into low-lying flood-rone areas.

It is hoped that the sirens' ineffectiveness serves as a valuable lesson for local authorities and emergency responders to intensify flood monitoring, especially during huge thunderstorms. Still, it's a chicken and egg conundrum: to mitigate river failures, the Petaling Jaya City Council and DID are implementing long-term river overflow control systems, floodwalls and riverbank strengthening.

And yet, these ongoing works unfortunately contribute to Petaling Jaya's forever floods, as if life's permanent fixtures of death and taxes aren't bad enough. - NST

At 102, Negri Sembilan's oldest government pensioner still says 'thank you'

 

Retired school cleaner Ong Siew Choon, who supported her family after her husband's death, was honoured during a Public Service Department visit to government pensioners in Seremban. NSTP/AHMAD HASBI

SEREMBAN: "Thank you very much, thank you everyone."

Those were the heartfelt words of 102-year-old Ong Siew Choon, Negri Sembilan's oldest government pensioner, as she received a visit from Public Service Department (PSD) director-general Tan Sri Wan Ahmad Dahlan Abdul Aziz today.

Despite having difficulties with speech, hearing and vision, Siew Choon repeatedly expressed her gratitude throughout the visit.

Siew Choon served as a general worker and school cleaner under the Education Ministry from 1965 until her retirement in 1979.

Her daughter, Yeoh Kin Yeok, 75, said her mother remained generally healthy despite her age, although she now experienced hearing, vision and speech difficulties and was living with dementia.

"My father worked as a factory clerk, but as he grew older, he became ill and was unable to continue working before he died in 1972.

"My mother then became the family's sole breadwinner. She first worked as a domestic helper before becoming a school cleaner at the age of 41," she said at the family's home.

Kin Yeok, the third of six siblings and a retired teacher, said her mother's longevity was likely due to her vegetable-based diet and passion for gardening.

"I think her diet has played the biggest role. These days, though, we secretly encourage her to eat more protein to give her strength.

"She loved tending to her flower garden until about five years ago, when we asked her to stop because we were worried she might fall. Otherwise, she would spend every morning from 7.30am to 10am looking after her plants," she said.

She added that the family had not expected the visit from Wan Ahmad Dahlan and felt deeply honoured by the recognition.

Throughout the visit, Siew Choon continued thanking everyone present, touching those in attendance.

Meanwhile, Wan Ahmad Dahlan said the visit was part of the PSD's Program Ziarah Pesara, which saw seven government pensioners in the Seremban area receive visits in collaboration with the Retirement Fund (Incorporated) (KWAP) and the Negri Sembilan Implementation Coordination Unit (ICU).

He said the programme reflected the department's continued commitment to recognising the contributions and sacrifices of former civil servants while ensuring their welfare remained a priority after retirement.

During the visit, Wan Ahmad Dahlan presented Siew Choon with a new pensioner card, daily necessities and a contribution from the prime minister.

He said PSD, through its strategic partner KWAP, continued to maintain records of retired civil servants, enabling the department to trace and assist them even many years after retirement.

"All the data is with us. The challenge is finding the time and opportunity to visit them. Whenever we travel on official duty, I or PSD officers try to make time to meet retired civil servants.

"At the very least, we can ask about their wellbeing and provide assistance where needed, especially on health-related matters, including support with medical equipment," he said. - NST

Malaysia could join F1 calendar this year if Mideast conflict goes on

 Before the recent escalation in the Iran conflict, officials had hoped that the Bahrain Grand Prix could be rescheduled on the first weekend in October between races in Azerbaijan and Singapore.

Malaysia’s Sepang International Circuit previously hosted the Formula One Malaysian Grand Prix from 1999 to 2017 before it was dropped from the calendar due to rising hosting costs and sanctioning fees. (Bernama pic)

BERLIN:

Malaysia could return to the Formula One calendar at short notice this year if the Iran conflict causes more problems, specialist website the-race.com reported today.

In mid-March, Formula One postponed April races in Bahrain and Saudi Arabia due to the war, reducing the calendar initially from 24 to 22 grands prix, reported German news agency dpa.

If the final two races of the year on Nov 29 in Qatar and on Dec 6 in Abu Dhabi cannot take place either due to the conflict in West Asia, Formula One bosses are examining further options, the report said.

Before the recent escalation in the Iran conflict, officials had hoped that the Bahrain Grand Prix could be rescheduled on the first weekend in October between races in Azerbaijan and Singapore.

That now looks unlikely with the US and Iran again trading blows, so candidates for a race on Oct 4 now include Malaysia as well as Turkey, the report said.

Formula One is expected to make an early decision on the proposed October race as the championship enters its mid-season break following this weekend’s Hungarian Grand Prix in Budapest, with racing set to resume at the end of August.

Malaysia’s Sepang International Circuit previously hosted the Formula One Malaysian Grand Prix from 1999 to 2017 before it was dropped from the calendar due to rising hosting costs and sanctioning fees.

Meanwhile, Portugal’s Portimão circuit remains a contingency venue for the season finale should the Dec 6 race in Abu Dhabi be unable to proceed, while the Qatar Grand Prix would be removed from the calendar.

The Algarve circuit last hosted Formula One races in 2020 and 2021 as a replacement during the Covid-19 pandemic and is scheduled to return in 2027 and 2028. - FMT

Penang State Museum reopens after 9-year closure

 The museum, which shut its doors in April 2017, will open to the public from tomorrow with free admission until Aug 31.

The Penang State Museum features 15 exhibition spaces with about 1,200 artefacts covering Penang’s history, culture and heritage, from prehistoric discoveries at Gua Kepah to the state’s development before and after independence.

GEORGE TOWN:

The Penang State Museum at Farquhar Street has reopened after being closed for more than nine years for restoration and upgrading works costing RM18 million.

The museum, which shut its doors in April 2017, will open to the public from tomorrow, with free admission until Aug 31.

State tourism and creative economy committee chairman Wong Hon Wai said the restoration took time as the museum was housed in a Category One heritage building which required specialist work.

He said the project was also delayed for about two-and-a-half years during the Covid-19 pandemic, when construction stopped and the contractor faced difficulties obtaining imported material.

Wong said the work was carried out in phases, beginning with structural repairs involving the roof, water leakage, toilets and other parts of the building, followed by interior design and exhibition.

Penang State Museum director Haryany Mohamad said the building was handed over to the museum in March, after which its curatorial team took four months to install the artefacts and complete the displays.

The upgraded museum now features 15 exhibition spaces with about 1,200 artefacts covering Penang’s history, culture and heritage, from prehistoric discoveries at Gua Kepah to the state’s development before and after independence.

The museum also features a section showcasing the remains of the building’s bombed portion during World War II.

Wong said the museum is not merely a place to preserve artefacts but also a platform to strengthen appreciation of history, culture and identity. He said the museum aligned with the spirit of nationhood by having five dedicated spaces representing all five tenets of the Rukun Negara.

The museum will open from Saturday to Thursday, from 9am to 5pm. The entrance fee after Aug 31 will be announced later. - FMT

Malaysian envoy summoned by US state department over Israel policy

 Foreign minister Mohamad Hasan says Shahrul Ikram Yaakob conveyed to US officials that the stance is a well-established national policy.

Foreign minister Mohamad Hasan said an individual with US and Israeli citizenship was asked to leave Malaysia.

PETALING JAYA:

Malaysia’s ambassador to the United States was summoned by the US state department to explain Putrajaya’s longstanding policy of not recognising Israel.

Foreign minister Mohamad Hasan said Shahrul Ikram Yaakob conveyed to US officials that the stance was a well-established national policy, reported Bernama.

“It has always been Malaysia’s policy. We do not recognise the state of Israel or the Zionist regime. This has long been our position.

“There was an individual with dual citizenship, US and Israeli, who entered Malaysia using his US passport. However, subsequent checks revealed that he also held Israeli citizenship, and we asked him to leave,” he told reporters in Rembau after a meet-and-greet session with Zaifulbahri Idris, Barisan Nasional’s candidate for the Chembong seat in the Negeri Sembilan state election.

Yesterday, Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim reiterated that Malaysia would continue to bar Israeli citizens from entering the country despite objections raised by eight US congressmen.

Anwar said the policy was based on Malaysia’s commitment to defending Palestinian rights and opposing the continued killing of Palestinians in Gaza.

Eight Democratic congressmen have urged secretary of state Marco Rubio to review Washington’s security and economic ties with Malaysia and consider suspending US military training funding following Anwar’s remarks that Israeli citizens found in the country would be deported.

Anwar yesterday described the congressmen’s call as “misguided”, adding that it was clear the eight US lawmakers who mooted the idea were out of touch with global developments.

Israeli passport holders cannot enter Malaysia as Putrajaya does not have diplomatic ties with Tel Aviv.

Meanwhile, three NGOs will hold a peaceful assembly and submit a memorandum of protest to the US embassy in Kuala Lumpur tomorrow to oppose the attempt by US members of Congress to pressurise Malaysia over its sovereign policies.

The three organisations are the Malaysian Consultative Council of Islamic Organisations (Mapim), the Muslim Youth Movement of Malaysia (Abim) and Pertubuhan Kebajikan Rakyat Sejagat Malaysia (Sejagat).

According to the programme poster issued by the organisers, the gathering is scheduled to begin at the Tabung Haji Mosque at 3pm after Friday prayers, before participants proceed to the embassy.

Participants have been urged to protest what is described as US political arrogance, while asserting that Malaysia has the right to determine its own foreign policy and entry policies. - FMT

Cops nab suspect in attempted Klang robbery, recover stolen shotgun

 Bukit Aman CID director M Kumar says they also seized a starter pistol with 48 blank rounds from the suspect arrested in Shah Alam today.

Screenshots showing the robber confronting the guard outside the security van in Bukit Tinggi, Klang, on Jan 20.

PETALING JAYA:

Police have arrested a local man believed to be involved in the attempted robbery of a security van and the theft of a firearm in front of a bank in Bukit Tinggi, Klang, on July 20.

Bukit Aman criminal investigation department director M Kumar said the suspect, in his 20s, was arrested in Shah Alam at about 11am today, Bernama reported.

He said the suspect had allegedly attempted to rob a security van transporting cash before seizing a pump-action shotgun from a security guard and fleeing on a motorcycle.

In a follow-up operation, police arrested the suspect and recovered a Mossberg pump-action shotgun with one 12-bore round.

Kumar said police also seized an Ekol Lite starter pistol and 48 blank rounds from the suspect.

Checks showed the suspect had a previous offence under Section 8 of the Arms Act 1960 for possessing arms without a permit.

The suspect will be brought to court tomorrow for remand.

It was earlier reported that a man armed with a revolver had tried to rob the van but the security guard on duty quickly threw a bag containing RM82,000, collected from a bank earlier, into the back of the van and locked it.

The frustrated armed man then took the guard’s shotgun and escaped.

The driver of the security van, aged 43, later died due to an apparent heart attack while giving his statement to police the same day.

A video clip of the incident has gone viral. - FMT