KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 16 — Election campaigns switched to aid efforts in several areas in the country struck by floods earlier than anticipated.
As of this morning, a total of 3,196 flood victims were in 28 temporary evacuation centres in six states, namely Perak, Selangor, Johor, Kelantan, Melaka and Penang.
Following the situation, the GE15 campaigns of several candidates and political talks or ceramah involving Barisan Nasional (BN), Perikatan Nasional (PN) and Pakatan Harapan (PH) reportedly had to be postponed as the campaign switched to providing aid to the affected people.
Several candidates were seen wading through floodwaters to meet and offer aid to flood victims. One of them was Nurul Izzah Anwar, the PH-PKR candidate for the Permatang Pauh parliamentary seat, who was attired in a ‘baju kurung’ and a raincoat.
Other candidates in Selangor also made a switch in their campaigns. In the Sungai Buloh parliamentary constituency, BN-UMNO candidate and caretaker health minister Khairy Jamaluddin postponed his election campaign to meet residents affected by the floods.
Selangor menteri besar Datuk Seri Amirudin Shari, who is the PH-PKR candidate for the Gombak parliamentary seat, and Dr Halimah Ali, the PN-PAS candidate for the Kapar parliamentary seat, were among those who shelved their election campaigns to visit the flood-hit locations.
The Department of Meteorology Malaysia (MetMalaysia) had forecast that the Northeast Monson will begin in mid-November and prevail until March next year, bringing with it heavy rains that can cause floods in low-lying places as well as king tides in the coastal areas.
Due to the uncertain weather, the Selangor Fire and Rescue Department has mobilised personnel and assets to several locations, especially along the coast and near rivers, to monitor the possibility of flood occurrence.
“Firefighters will be on standby due to the weather conditions, stagnant rainwater or rising water levels. We will use assets such as boats and transport trucks,” said department director Norazam Khamis when contacted by Bernama.
In Pahang, the BN-MCA candidate for the Raub parliamentary seat, Datuk Chong Sin Woon, said MCA has a special team ready to be mobilised at any time to help the people in areas at risk of flooding to enable them to exercise their right to vote.
He acknowledged that floods or heavy rain on polling day on Nov 19 would, to some extent, influence the decision of electors whether to go out and cast their ballots.
“If it rains heavily, voters who are not staunch supporters of any party will not see the urgency to go out and vote. However, to encourage them to come out, we can send vehicles and provide umbrellas. We are ready for that,” he said.
Thomas Su Keong Siong, the PH-DAP candidate for the Ketari state seat in Pahang, said he believes that voter turnout will be low during floods. He also said that ease the burden of the people, PH will give preference to helping the flood victims.
“I hope there will be no floods although it is raining frequently now. Imagine…if your house is flooded, will you have the mood to go out and vote? It will be selfish of us to ask the people to vote but not help them,” he said.
In Kelantan, the state UMNO liaison committee chairman, Datuk Ahmad Jazlan Yaakub, said the Kelantan BN machinery is ready with boats and food to assist the authorities in rescue operations and evacuation of flood victims.
Kelantan Civil Defence Force director Col (PA) Mohd Adzhar Mujab, also expressed the readiness of the force, said 1,349 personnel, along with 14 trucks and 78 boats, were ready to be mobilised in the event of floods on polling day.
In Terengganu, 30 flood-risk locations have been identified in four districts, namely Kemaman, Dungun, Hulu Terengganu and Besut.
State secretary Tengku Datuk Farok Hussin Tengku Abdul Jalil said RM2.5 million had been allocated for the provision of food and other necessities for flood victims.
Hopefully, it will be a flood-free polling day on Nov 19.
