DUNGUN: For the 500-odd residents of Kampung Delong here, the three boats owned by their fellow villagers have become a lifeline for them after their village became inaccessible to vehicles due to floods since Saturday (Dec 23).

One of the boat owners, 24-year-old Mohamad Amirul Fitri Abd Rahman said the residents would use his services to commute to the main road for various purposes, including getting food supplies and daily necessities, from as early as 7.30 am every day.

The Kampung Delong native does not mind having to travel about 1.5 kilometres (km) through an oil palm area as he is just happy to be of service to those in need.

"Not all the houses here are inundated. Although their houses are not flooded, they still want to get out to go to work or purchase goods. So, they have no choice but to use boats as we are cut off from the main road," he told Bernama.

Another boat owner, Che Wan Zabidi Ngah, said although he had paid RM6,700 to buy the boat and its engine, he was glad he could help his fellow villagers.

The 50-year-old, who is fondly called Pok Zu, said he originally bought the boat for his personal use but, after seeing the hardship faced by the other villagers, decided to offer his help to ease their burden.

"Some wanted to pay me but I declined. I am honest about helping because I also live here. We are used to this (floods), so I want to help in whichever way I can," said Pok Zu.

Meanwhile, villager Tengku Rosdi Tengku Hamzah, 59, said he was fed up with being unable to access the main road during every monsoon season.

"I feel that perhaps the road in front can be raised a bit so that we will not be cut off like this. Not only does it make life difficult for us, the authorities also find it hard to deliver aid to us. Thankfully, the flood situation this year is not as bad as in previous years," he said.

Kampung Delong Development and Security Committee deputy chairman Mohd Zunaidi Yusoff, however, said there was no problem for any agencies, such as the police, Social Welfare Department and Civil Defence Force, to deliver assistance to the village.

As of this morning, 116 people from 32 families were still housed at the Sekolah Kebangsaan Kampung Delong temporary relief centre.

-- BERNAMA