DECEMBER 21 — The monsoon rain and ensuing floods have become part and parcel of everyday life of Malaysians.

Cars brought to a standstill in traffic as they find themselves submerged in flood waters. People scrambling to save as much of their property and belongings from being damaged by the encroaching waters as possible. Amidst the frustration, everyone has a single thought in mind — “I can’t wait for all this to be over.”

However, people no longer want to tolerate flooding as an annual hindrance. While Malaysia has been growing with rapid industrialisation and urbanisation, the increase in extreme weather events like floods have taken a toll on local economies and infrastructure.

According to the Belgium-based Centre for Research on the Epidemiology of Disasters (Cred), Malaysia experienced 38 floods in the last two decades, which have affected over 770,000 people, killed 148 people, and caused over US$1.4 billion (RM4.85 billion) in damages.

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These numbers do not include other smaller floods — if one follows the news today, it is easy to see that the occurrences are more frequent than before, and the damages far greater.

That said, we have yet to see the worst. A recent United Nations report warned that the global warming threshold of 1.5 degrees Celsius could be breached as early as 2030, if current warming trends continue. This will have dire consequences for many countries, especially low-lying areas that are vulnerable to sea level rise and severe floods from intense storms.

Sharing responsibility

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In recent years, the Malaysian government has pumped billions of ringgits into flood mitigation initiatives, and one of the most notable project is the investment in the Stormwater Management and Road Tunnel (SMART) in Kuala Lumpur.

While there have been measured improvements in some states for flood management, more needs to be done to meet the increasing severity and occurrences of floods.

The government undeniably plays a crucial role in the country’s flood management. However, we all have a part to play, and need to address this issue with a greater gotong royong spirit — where businesses, organisations and citizens come together to tackle such extreme weather events over the next decade.

Gotong royong refers to the interconnectedness of a community that lives together — how they are deeply invested in one another’s well-being, sharing not only joys but also burdens. Tackling Malaysia’s flood problems should not be a burden that is shouldered solely by the government, but by all of us collectively.

Bringing expertise to the table

Malaysia presents a very unique challenge. The country experiences a range of urban, coastal and river flooding across its states, with each situation calling for specific approaches.

For example, urban and suburban areas such as Johor, Kuala Lumpur, Selangor and Penang tend to experience flash floods during the monsoon season, while the East Coast region of Malaysia, particularly Kelantan and Terengganu, tend to face serious flooding because of river overflow issues during heavy rainfall.

Beyond the flood itself, other challenges arise for each state as well. For example, state governments have revealed that illegal land encroachment on state river reserve land — where illegal structures were built along or on river reserves was one deterrence when it comes to completing flood mitigation projects.

Taking into consideration the nuances behind Malaysia’s flood issues, the government can benefit from working together with solutions providers when it comes to flood management projects.

Industry players can introduce innovative solutions, as well as bring unique expertise to the table. The government can share their priorities when it comes to the real-world challenges and issues they are facing, to inspire the industry’s direction on research and development. This would ultimately result in the development of relevant solutions which will be beneficial for all stakeholders.

For example, pumps play a vital role in mitigating flood waters, by collecting and quickly moving as much of it as possible. In this day and age, pump solutions can be highly-adaptable, providing different pump capabilities depending on the type of flood water, whether it is an area dealing with muddy or sometimes polluted confluences, or in sea water barrages and freshwater lakes.

Such solutions have demonstrated success in China, where rapid urbanisation has led to the country’s landmark “sponge cities” initiative to combat flooding. Now, solution providers are looking at bringing such innovations to tackle Malaysia’s flooding issues.

Calling for public action

It is easy to assume that we need large, infrastructural-scale thinking to cope with a problem as daunting as floods. But if everyone steps up their efforts and play their part, the public can empower themselves to play an equally important role.

One key area is maintaining cleanliness and reducing acts of littering in one’s surroundings, monsoon season or otherwise. Rubbish found in drains and rivers are one of the main reasons behind increased incidences of flooding in some states, greatly impacting those living in low-lying areas.

Besides making a conscious decision against littering and treating waterways as dumping grounds, one can actively take care of the cleanliness of rivers and drains to prevent clogging, such as participating in volunteer groups to clean up the local surroundings and educate others on the need to maintain cleanliness within the communities.

Other than respecting your city’s drainage systems, members of the public can look to ensure that their own property allows for flood water to move quickly through, by avoiding construction on flood-prone areas that would encourage water to collect.

Other ways include households installing rainwater harvesting systems to collect and store rainwater. This not only acts as a preventive measure against flooding, but each house can utilise rainwater as an alternative water source, combating future water problems.

Building resilience together

As we enter 2019, we can look forward to welcoming the end of this monsoon season.

Looking ahead, climate change is expected to intensify, which would subsequently raise flood risks all around the world. We can only expect the monsoon season to hit Malaysia greater than ever in the years to come.

To build our resilience against the next round of flood events, let us consider a more holistic approach, through increased collaboration and resource-sharing between government agencies, the private sector and the general public – keeping with the gotong royong spirit.

* Leong Chee Khuan is area managing director for South Asia and general manager for Grundfos Pumps Sdn Bhd.

** This is the personal opinion of the writer or publication and does not necessarily represent the views of Malay Mail.