KUALA LUMPUR: Departments and agencies tasked with flood prevention and disaster relief management should take the blame for their delayed assistance to flood victims.
Alliance for Safe Community chairman Tan Sri Lee Lam Thye said good Samaritans had to band together to expedite rescue and relief efforts because the authorities failed to act swiftly.
"The blame and responsibility should squarely be shared by many departments.
"These departments or agencies include the Meteorological Department which had failed to give adequate and timely warning of the impending storm.
"Other agencies are those charged with the responsibility to ensure an efficient drainage system, smooth and speedy welfare assistance, and the provision of food and other relief on an urgent basis.
"In fact, the responsibility should be that of every ministry, for nothing is more important than meeting the people's needs at their hour of need," he said in a statement today.
Lee urged the authorities to admit their shortcomings that left the people disappointed rather than offering lame excuses.
"For instance, it was reported in the media that rescue teams in Selangor had a tough time responding to victims stranded on rooftops as they could not see the addresses as the road signs had been submerged.
"Please get real. You don't need road signs to identify people who are clearly visible on roof tops!" he said.
Lee, who is also former Bukit Bintang member of parliament, questioned Dewan Rakyat Speaker Tan Sri Azhar Azizan Harun's decision for not allowing a debate on the government's response to the flash floods in the House on Monday.
"These issues could have, and should have been discussed in the Dewan Rakyat which is after all the Hall of the People.
"It is unfortunate that the Speaker disallowed debate on the matter. Who was he protecting, and why? Was he motivated by political expediency?
"Whatever the reason, his action cannot be justified," he added