LETTER | East coast floods punctuate our political failures

LETTER | Indeed, one wonders why we continue to be at the mercy of floods year after year. 

Decades have passed since independence and yet we are unable to circumvent the annual floods that inundate Kelantan and Terengganu. 

Yes, we all know - and so does the world, that the monsoon seasons that come and go each year are the cause of the floods that wreak havoc on lives, properties, and businesses.

These recurring floods cost the government lots of money as the various safety, security, and health agencies scramble each year to manage the crisis.

But what no one is asking is why is the state government - despite decades of reappointments/being elected into power - is unable to solve the flood crisis.

We are living in a global environment of achievements where even deserts are transformed into arable, green lungs flourishing with crops. 

We in Malaysia too proclaim to the world about our meteoric success which includes resplendent mortar and glass structures.

But blaming God decade after decade and pinning the blame on nature has remained our only explanation and excuse for why Kelantan and Terengganu continue to be victims of floods.

Do we not ask ourselves why the governments that come every five years (and sometimes sooner) remain incapacitated in finding contempory solutions easily available in the world?

When will we ever hold governments accountable?

Or are floods something that should remain and the people to accept it as natural occurrences? 

The rise in the number of landslides, erosions, and floods in various other locations throughout the country too gets dismissed with a standard explanation of “owing to increased rainfall”. 

Nation-building is not measured only by investments, material wealth, and social value. 

A nation, in order to be progressive, must have the commitment, desire, and will to also contain or manage changes in the environment including weather/climate changes. 

Only when we can overcome the floods, especially in Kelantan and Terengganu, can we confidently say that the government is successful.

The views expressed here are those of the author/contributor and do not necessarily represent the views of Malaysiakini.