Silver lining amid flood catastrophe

Open to all: The viral photo showing the Taman Free School surau which took in some 60 flood victims regardless of racial backgrounds after the massive flood recently.

Malaysians from all walks of life reached out to help those of differing faiths and ethnic groups during the crisis. 

THE most touching and inspiring story to emerge from the recent massive floods in Penang is Taman Free School surau committee members allowing about 60 non-Muslims to seek shelter as the water reached chest level.

Initially, the flood victims – Chinese and Indians – were reportedly reluctant to use the surau out of “respect” for the premises. They wanted to go to a nearby temple.

But floodwaters were rising fast and the surau bilal Sapno Tukijo invited them – some shirtless as their wet clothes made them feel extremely cold – to enter the surau, located on higher ground.

“I don’t care what others say, the most important thing is that their lives have been saved,” said Sapno.

“I know there are people who would criticise my action, but I would feel guilty seeing them wandering aimlessly (in the flood).”

Taman Free School surau chairman Zakaria Mydin said: “They are our friends and neighbours. You don’t turn them away. They had no place to go to.”

The surau committee members and residents of Taman Free School helped to rescue flood victims.

“We did not only rescue people, but we rescued dogs as well, because the animals too are Allah’s creation,” said Zakaria, who posted pictures of some of the victims resting inside the surau on Facebook. His posting went viral.

The dogs were allowed to stay in the surau compound until the floodwaters receded.

According to 51-year-old factory worker C.G. Teh, the residents in the area have always helped each other irrespective of race or religion.

“I dread to think what would have happened to my relatives if not for the help from the nice people from the surau,” he said.

What Teh said reinforces what I believe, that in general Malaysians – irrespective of race or religion – will take care of each other. We have the spirit of tolong menolong (helping each other).

Sometimes – in these times when there are attempts to have Muslims-only laundrettes, for example – there’s a feeling that there’s growing religious intolerance in our country and Malaysia is divided by race and religion. But I like to tell my friends that it is the minority and most of the time it is politicians who exaggerate the situation.

Most of the time, Malaysians are more concerned about going through their daily lives. They don’t have time for bigoted thoughts.

Sapno was right. There were people – including a radical preacher who posted on Facebook that the Penang flood situation should not be categorised as an “emergency” that could justify a surau giving shelter to non-Muslims – who criticised his action.

But overwhelmingly, Malaysians, including the mufti of the Federal Territories and Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak, praised the move by the surau committee to open its doors to non-Muslims.

Najib said the effort was one of the examples of the 1Malaysia Negaraku spirit that should be emulated.

“To me, the move by the surau and mosques which opened their doors to the flood victims regardless of religion and race was most appropriate and one that must be praised,” he said.

“And if anyone among non-Muslims asked for protection from you, then you should protect him/her.”

The kind deed of the Taman Free school surau committee members is a classic example of the Good Samaritan parable.

A Jew, travelling from Jerusalem to Jericho, was robbed and left half- dead on the road. A priest (a Jew) saw the man but he walked on the other side. A Levite (a Jew) also did the same.

Next came a Samaritan. Despite Samaritans and Jews generally despising each other, the Samaritan helped the half-dead man.

The moral of the parable, for me, is that you will never know who will help you next. In the Malaysian context, that “who” can be a Kadazandusun, Bajau, Melanau, Iban, Peranakan, Chinese, Indian or Malay.

The moral is, even if you are a Kadazandusun, don’t assume that a Kadazandusun will help you in your time of need. Another moral is love your neighbour as yourself.

One personal example for me was last year when my family was involved in a car accident near Kulai on the North-South Express­way. Malaysians – Chinese, Indians and Malays – helped me.

A stranger asked if I was okay and whether I needed help. A stranger told a panicked me to apply some cloth to my wife’s bleeding head. A stranger called 911 for me. A stranger helped me to pick up my personal belongings splattered on the highway.

They were Good Samaritans.

One day, we might need the help of a Good Samaritan. A blood donation, perhaps?