The recent flooding in many parts of urban areas particularly in Klang, Shah Alam, PJ and Hulu Langat, was simply devastating and heart wrenching.

Stories of deaths through drowning in urban areas and car basements are shocking to an architecture academic like me, who deals with building designs and city planning.

While the Prime Minister celebrated his administration’s 100 days by giving A pluses to almost all his bloated cabinet plus plus, the public cried in anguish for food and safety after being trapped in roof attics and second floor terrace houses for 48 hours.

Some say the disaster management plans were a complete disaster. I am not here to comment on disaster management but on urban planning and design of storm water runoffs as well as flooding by rivers in cities and suburban areas.

Although I am not an expert in flood mitigation in urban areas which is normally a subject for civil engineering, there is some questions that need to be raised about urban planning policies by this government dulu, kini dan masa depan.

What the hell are these urban authorities doing if they don’t care two cents about flooding in cities?

Looking at the harrowing pictures of storm water surging into basement car parks, the first thing I decided is not to buy or visit any building with a basement car park. No bloody way!

A 40-minute downpour can fill up a basement so fast that it boggles the mind and frightens the heart.

So, the first rule is, no basement car parks in Malaysia, please, until real flood mitigation is in place.

Secondly, is anyone looking at the pavement/development ratio to soft landscape absorption area and simulating it on a computer to the various amount of rain that could fall within a certain time frame?

There is already a computer software for that I think. Someone working in the urban authority should learn how to use it!

Perhaps someone in the urban authority already knows about it but the decision has been ruled out by politicians and council members for quick profits and kick backs. This shows a broken system and don’t deserve even a C+.

Thirdly, where are the water channels made to draw the storm water runoffs?

We don’t have to spend billions digging SMART tunnels. Just dig several lines of earth or concrete channels wide enough to contain the volumes of water from rain storms and flooding of rivers in cities.

Where is the profit from property taxes going, if not for the basic safety of the people? These surface water channels are much cheaper than Japan’s underground concrete caverns for water spillways and storage.

Fourthly, I read somewhere that some cities have roads that can ‘absorb’ rain water as it falls on the surface. They call it ‘sponge street’. Millions of tiny holes in the surface of the roadway channels the water underground to huge drain pipes or pebbled beds that would store the water underground.

Fifthly, certain areas must be designated as spillway lakes that will take all the storm water runoffs and store it for future water needs in drought or becomes a landscape feature for hikers and water sports.

These areas should not be signed off to two ringgit companies to build condos or resort hotels.

Finally, the city must have a contingency disaster management plan that has enough boats and transport helicopters to reach the thousands no more than six hours after receiving a distress call.

Helicopters must be used to aid the old, weak and young, not just to ferry politician’s sons to safety.

Thus, from the public’s perspective, the ministry’s concern and the ministers deserve a C+. The only deserving A+ should be given to the many Malaysian people who come out to help others, as well as the ill-equipped RELA, police and army personnel.

Lastly, public universities offering urban planning and city planning programs should be reexamined as to their credentials, if the academics concerned are not experts in flood management and mitigation in their designs of new townships.

Also, a government which builds first and gives excuses later should not be voted in come GE15.

(Prof Dr. Mohd Tajuddin Mohd Rasdi is Professor of Architecture at a local university and his writing reflects his own personal opinion entirely.)