PETALING JAYA: Property owners will have to think outside the box to protect their homes and assets from the unpredictable weather we get these days.

       The floods last December saw RM6.1bil in overall losses, the government has estimated.

       The Statistics Department said damage to public assets and infrastructure was around RM2bil, while damage to homes was about RM1.6bil.

       Universiti Malaya’s Prof Datuk Dr Azizan Abu Samah said homeowners need to be mindful of the zoning where their property is located.

       He said those living in the Klang Valley, particularly Kuala Lumpur, must realise that there are flood-prone areas, with rivers such as Sungai Gombak and the Klang River cutting through the city.

       “Zoning is important – if you buy a house on the hill, you have to know the risks, just like if there are rivers and streams nearby.

       “You cannot live without risks, but you must know how to balance it out, just like people who plough the soil near volcanoes that can erupt at any time.

       “Before you buy a house, see all the factors – whether it is a hillslope or whether there are rivers and ponds,” he said.

       Prof Azizan added that as Malaysia continues to develop and become richer, and the density of people continues to increase, flooding and losses will also increase – which is why the management aspect also needs to be stepped up.

       “If you look at Thailand and Vietnam, they let the flooding happen upstream in their agricultural areas instead of their capital cities of Bangkok and Hanoi.

       “We do have the Smart Tunnel, which initially came under a lot of flak, but it has saved the city centre from being flooded countless of times,” he said.

       However, he said that local councils must ensure the drainage system in housing areas is sufficient and operates at an optimum level for water to flow into rivers.

       In a survey conducted by insurance company Zurich Malaysia, two-thirds (74%) of homeowners said they do not have insurance coverage against flood damage.

       The survey also found that 43% of homeowners were unaware that the contents of their homes were not necessarily covered under their home insurance or takaful. These include furniture, appliances, computers, and mobile devices.

       One in three (33%) insured homeowners do not have home content protection, the survey also found.

       Life Insurance Association of Malaysia president Loh Guat Lan said there is a lack of awareness among the public when it comes to getting comprehensive coverage for unforeseen circumstances.

       “It is about paying a bit more to get wider coverage.

       “When you buy a house or a car, you are already paying a big chunk of money for it, and it could be your biggest investment, so it would be wise to have the best coverage,” she added.

       Design and construction company RekaBrick’s operations director Shadee Hizami Khalid said that building a perimeter wall using sandbags as a barrier is among the measures that can be used to stem the tide during a flood.