Together We Stand

[ 104 ] whose houses were built on government land, 16 new open lands were allocated by the State Government for resettle- ment in locations away from flood-prone areas. A sum of RM60.12 million was allocated by the Federal Government for the building of infrastructure as well as houses in this programme in Kelantan alone. To expedite the project, the PWD also adopted the Industrialised Building System (IBS) in constructing the houses. With this system, houses were built in less time because precast elements of the buildings were cast in facto- ries concurrently with foundation works being carried out at the building sites. This meant that the work on site consisted only of the erection of the IBS components. Moreover, IBS components have higher quality and better finishes due to careful selection of materials, use of advanced technol- ogy and strict quality assurance control, since their factory production was done in a sheltered environment. Upon completion, houses were equipped with furniture, fixtures and fittings provided by the Government in collaboration with government-linked companies, the corporate sector, NGOs, individual donors and even foreign governments. For houses that were damaged but still habitable, the Ministry of Rural and Regional Development of Malaysia provided a special allocation to repair houses. To date, a total of 1,469 houses have been repaired under this project. The inception of a special task force called the Post Flood Management Unit under the Prime Minister’s Department is testament to the Government’s seriousness and commit- ment to ensuring that flood victims are given a new lease of life in the aftermath of the disaster. The unit is the sole point of reference in providing assistance to flood victims while at the same time undertaking the task of coordinating and monitoring work in progress on the ground. The Government’s role does not stop at rebuilding houses, but also involves assisting in community-build- ing. The victims will be nurtured through programmes that enable them to be more resilient and well-prepared in the face of future disasters. Community-based disaster management (CBDM) strategies have become increasingly important in the face of global climate change, increased populations in vulnerable areas and the need for greater preparedness at the community level for responses to disaster. The Government, through CBDM programmes, empowers communities to be proactive in disaster manage- ment and creates a space for them to develop strategies on their own terms rather than waiting for already over- stretched governments. It has been more than a year since the yellow water flood chapter became another lesson learned in disaster management for the country. The formation of the National Disaster Management Agency (NADMA Malaysia) under the ambit of the Prime Minister’s Department is a strong testimony that the Government is very serious in tackling oncoming disasters, not only floods but other natural disas- ters that may occur from time to time. Rather than only responding to victims of disasters, NADMA Malaysia will ensure that people will be well prepared to face any oncom- ing calamities that may occur in years to come. Tents were set up on-site for those who refused to leave damaged or destroyed homes Transit houses built by NGOs provided temporary accommodation for many who had lost their homes Image: NADMA Malaysia Image: NADMA Malaysia T ogether W e S tand