Lack of coordination and no centralised body cause of slow rescue operations
Unfair distribution of aid and rescue operations in Selangor could have been avoided if state level authorities carried out their roles.
Former Malaysian Army Colonel Azlan Iskandar said this situation typically occurs when there is no centralised organisation handling the affected state.
He stated that communication was the big issue here since the accessible areas would obviously get rescued first, while those that were less accessible or have lack of communication would not be able to receive help earlier.
“This is what happens when a natural disaster of magnitude occurs and there was no centralised organisation handling the state affected.
“What happened to the coordination of the state authorities? Because setting up the communication system for the people to use during times of emergency must be established way before incidents like this happens,” he said.
He said it would be too late for the authorities to set up the communication system once the floods already hit.
He said although the floods in Selangor was unprecedented, authorities still need to be prepared for such events as it is not the first time such disaster has happened.
“The authorities should have held meetings to discuss these possibilities a few months before the monsoon season happened this year.
“Floods are not something unusual in Malaysia. I remember areas like Taman Sri Muda, Section 13 and Section 25 used to be affected 27 years ago,” he said.
Azlan has decades of search and rescue operations, especially in flood disasters, during his time of service.
He added that the authorities should take responsibility since the unfair distribution of aid and rescue was something that could have be avoided.
