KUCHING: Sarawak United People’s Party (SUPP) Public Complaint Bureau chief, Milton Foo, has become an unexpected lifeline for Malaysians, including an unknown number of Sarawakians, stranded in flood-hit Hat Yai, with 199 people having reached out to him for assistance over the past few days.
Foo said the calls and messages began pouring in as floodwaters rose sharply in the Thai city, cutting off electricity, water supply and road access to several hotels where Malaysians were staying.
“I have received SOS messages from 199 Malaysians so far. They include Sarawakians, Johoreans and from other states.
“But I do not have the exact number (of Sarawakians) as I have been busy coordinating their details and helping to relay their information. Nonetheless, I can say some of the Sarawakians are from Kuching, Sri Aman and Kota Samarahan,” he said at a press conference today.
He shared that the stranded tourists were spread across multiple hotels, ranging from larger establishments to smaller inns, and many had spent four to five days without clean water, functioning toilets, proper meals or working power supply.
“Some elderly travellers were running low on medication, while their phones had gone flat, causing families in Sarawak and across Malaysia to panic when they could not reach their loved ones,” he said.
Several victims had told Foo that volunteers and local authorities had managed to deliver food via jet skis and other rescue equipment, though evacuations were slow due to strong water currents and limited resources.
Breakthrough came today when floodwaters in parts of Hat Yai began receding, allowing some Malaysians to reach the evacuation point in Central Hatyai, where transport across the border was being arranged.
“Some of them left with only important documents because I advised them to prioritise their safety.
“They told me the water had gone down enough for them to walk out,” he said, adding that elderly travellers who could not walk were still waiting for transport assistance.
Foo said the lists of 199 stranded Malaysians had been forwarded to the Malaysian Consulate-General in Songkhla and the Foreign Ministry’s Sarawak office to coordinate evacuations.
He also called for stronger official response mechanisms when natural disasters strike in neighbouring countries frequently visited by Malaysians.
“This is a massive disaster. NGOs and volunteers are doing their best, but we should also have our own professional teams ready to assist during emergencies like this,” he said.
Foo added that he would continue monitoring updates and keeping family members informed as more Malaysians regain access to their phones or reach safe locations.
