MALAYSIA COIN STORY:THE 1971 BIG FLOOD,COINS IN LOCK-UP.


The 1971 Kuala Lumpur floods was a major flash flood disaster in Malaysia that occurred in January 1971. The flooding was the result of heavy monsoon rains,which swelled the Klang and Gombak rivers.32 people were killed and 180,000 people were affected.Our Prime Minister the late AllahyarhamTun Abdul Razak declared a state of national disaster in Peninsular Malaysia.The floods were the worst in the country since 1926.

In Negeri Sembilan,Linggi township and area surrounding  the Linggi river banks were badly flooded. My brother and my cousin brother are Red Cross member and they were sent  to the disaster area to rescue  flood victims.Water lever rose to more then 10 feets.
Because of the floods and landslides,roads link to Linggi township were cut off. River boats and police patrol crafts were sent to help evacuate flood victims in flooded villages,most of them built around rivers.




As when they went around to rescue and evacuate the flood victims,they found an old Macik (Malay elderly women) sitting on a few earthenware jars,she refused to follow them to the evacuation center. Upon checking,they found those jars were full of coins. After sometimes of negotiations,they successfully convinced the Macik to board the craft together with those earthenware jars and headed straight to the Linggi police station.
In the police station,they sealed those jars and locked them in the police lock-up in the present of  Macik.
Finally,the Macik decided and willingly  followed the rescuers to the evacuation center.

2 comments:

  1. A touching story of hard earned money.
    Good article, Dickson :)

    ReplyDelete
  2. Dear Whycollect,Thank you for your comments!

    ReplyDelete