The office space in Aron’s home that was under knee-deep floodwater.
His bedroom was also inundated.
Floodwater in the guestroom where all the furniture was damged.
Aron
KENINGAU: A former director of the Institute of Teachers Education Malaysia (IPG) Keningau campus has made a police report after his house was inundated in a recent flood, which he blamed on a “poorly designed drainage system”.
Aron @ Anifah Warso, 63, who lodged the report at the district police headquarters here on February 16 at 12.22pm, claimed that he suffered losses of up to RM180,000 as a result of the flood.
“On February 13 at 11.30pm, flooding occurred at my home located at No. 33 Seri Melor GDW Kampung Kota Ayangan here. On that night, I was sleeping when my wife noticed the flooding as she was still on the ground floor of the house.
“As the water started to rise, my wife began saving our important documents and rushed upstairs to wake me up,” he related.
Aron said he was not feeling well at that time and only managed to save some important documents. At that time, he was not able to ascertain the real extent of his loss as all his belongings were damaged by the incoming water.
“I have now made a rough estimate of my loss at around RM180,000. This problem would not arise if the drainage system had been well planned and constructed properly. The excess water should flow downstream from the village, but in this case, water from Sangai-Sangai river and irrigation canals overflowed into the fields and upstream to the villages and completely inundated my house (on both sides of the canals).
“I have raised my objections with an officer of the department when the drainage system was being constructed and had a verbal argument with him (officer). I have also received a letter (not sure of the source) the contents of which was to ask me to cooperate,” he said.
Aron, who is also former chairman of the Village Development and Security Committee (JKKK) of Kampung Kota Ayangan, felt very distressed when trying to seek redress as the power was in the hands of the officer concerned.
In addition, he said the officer had, at the time, promised him that should anything were to happen with the drainage system, they could always look for him (the officer).
However, Aron said he could not remember the name of the officer and the time and date the drainage system was constructed.
“I am making this preliminary report to put on notice the relevant departments, including the state government and the contractor who built the drainage system at O.T Asun Bukit road, GDW Kampung Kota Ayangan, my intention to seek reparation for the losses suffered, compensation for psychological side effects we now suffer as a result of this incident in view of the fact that both me and my wife are not in the best of health,” he stated in his police report.