KLANG: Early on Saturday morning, when rain was pouring down in torrents, a group of young artists here went to the aid of villagers caught in rising floodwater.
Members of the Batu Belah Art Community, which occupies several studios in Kampung Batu Belah here, had noticed people in the surrounding area nervously pacing in and out of their homes on Friday night.
"It was raining heavily at that time, too," said Burhanuddin Bakri, one of the artists. "Several hours later about 5am, we could see that the people were becoming more frantic. The water level was rising, even around our building.
Burhanuddin, 28, who works at the New Straits Times Press' Galeri Prima, said the people were clearly desperate to get somewhere safe.
Some of them tried to drive or walk away, but the floodwater blocked their way.
"My buddies and I decided there and then to invite them to our studios, which are on the first floor of the building we are occupying.
"We rushed to help them evacuate. The water rose very fast. One moment it was at thigh-level. Then it was up to the chest."
About 30 people from five families, including children and babies, were taken to the studios. The space was neither built nor furnished as living quarters, so the evacuees had to make do.
Some managed to bring along thin mattresses and blankets in the rush to safety.
Over the course of the next three days, Burhanuddin said they tried to make life as comfortable as possible for the people, providing food and other essentials. They even cooked for them.
"Members of our collective, friends, other arts practitioners and our former lecturers chipped in, giving money and food. We also rented a boat to deliver excess stuff to other people stuck in the area."
But they had to struggle through floodwater to get the supplies to the studios.
Burhanuddin and his friends — there are more than 20 of them aged 25 to 33 — belong to the NafaSyahdu, Lakar Layang and Empati art studios.
He said coincidentally, they had built a bamboo installation called "Sulupan Urung Taka" (community hub) on NafaSyahdu's rooftop, intending to invite the surrounding villagers to view it one day.
It was done under a Balai Seni Negara programme called Young Contemporaries 2021.
"I guess the people came to us sooner than expected. They were very grateful for our help in their time of need.
"The last of them left the studios on Monday evening. They went back to their homes to begin the clean-up.
"We are just so glad we could help them in a small way," Burhanuddin said.
