Floods: Mosques, temples become transit points to store, distribute aid

SHAH ALAM: Mosques and non-Muslim houses of worship in some areas in Selangor are now used as unofficial transit points for the collection of relief items from various parties before being distributed to flood victims.

A check by Bernama at several mosques, surau and temples found that some of these premises were also inundated, but were cleaned as soon as the flood waters had receded.

Deputy chairman of Taman Sri Muda Al-Falah Mosque, Section 25, Mohd Noor Awang, 56, said all forms of assistance and information on the donations received would be disseminated via WhatsApp to the residents.

"We accept whatever is being donated and we will inform in the community group (WhatsApp) for those who need kitchen items, baby and women’s clothes and so on to come and collect them,” he said, adding that there were two mosques and six surau in the flood-affected Taman Sri Muda area.

A check in Kampung Labohan Dagang, Banting found the same situation when all the mosques and surau affected by the floods were used to store aid items for the flood victims.

Al Mutmainnah Mosque official, Nor Azni Sanot, 56, said the mosque which had been cleaned was now being used as an unofficial food distribution centre as the nearest flood relief centre could not accommodate all the items donated.

He said currently there was a lot of dumping of used clothes but what the flood victims needed now were mattresses, pillows, sleeping mats (toto) and prayer attire and items.

Observations at several locations in the village found that the residents were doing cleaning work and even Minister in the Prime Minister's Department (Special Functions) Datuk Dr Abdul Latif Ahmad was also seen helping the flood victims in Kampung Labohan Dagang.

Meanwhile, various kinds of aid were received by the Sri Maha Mariamman Temple, Taman Sri Muda and people from various races came to help clean the temple area and distribute relief items.

According to Sri Maha Mariamman Temple treasurer, M. Sukumaran, in his 50s, the flood disaster united the multi-racial community.

"I don't know where all this help came from today. There are Malays, Chinese....and all these people came to help clean our temple and also distribute aid to the people here. People regardless of race and religion are helping each other," he said. - Bernama