PASIR MAS: A group of boatmen organised a neighbourhood watch to patrol homes in Kampung Serungga during the recent floods.
The team, made up of 10 boatmen who mostly use traditional sampans, conducted house-to-house checks to ensure the safety of residents' homes.
According to their leader Muhamad Nor Wira Azizan, the patrol was formed on Nov 25, the first day floodwaters hit the village.
"Our village was inundated with about three meters of floodwater during the first wave, and all 120 houses were affected," said Nor Wira, a 39-year-old sawmill worker.
"Nearly 500 residents were forced to take shelter at a nearby relief centre for five days. During that time, some expressed concerns about potential thefts, so I, along with nine other men, decided to volunteer and look after their homes."
The group began patrolling the village using five boats every night after Isyak prayers, ensuring no thieves took advantage of the rising waters.
"We wanted to make sure that no one used the floodwaters as an opportunity to break into the villagers' homes," Nor Wira said.
He said they were relieved that no incidents occurred during this time.
In addition to patrolling, the team also assisted in moving flood victims to higher ground about 2 kilometres away, where they were then transported to a relief centre by the police.
"When the villagers returned to their homes last weekend, they were grateful and relieved to find everything safe," he said.
During a visit by Umno Youth chief Datuk Dr Muhammad Akmal Saleh, Nor Wira also showed the boat used in their mission.
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