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Yao Wenlong is appealing for members of the public to donate to victims of the Malaysia flood.

The 52-year-old actor posted to Instagram on Mar. 4 with resources on how to help.

Yao is a Malaysian who was previously based in Singapore, but has since returned to Johor Bahru (JB) where he purchased a property late last year.

In particular, he mentioned the town of Chaah, where he said the refugees need a number of items like mattresses, blankets, diapers, milk powder, drinking water, and dry goods.

Those who are able to provide the items can drop them off at DAP Kampung Baru Chaah, or contact the number that the actor listed.

"They [victims of the flood] really need our help, let's help financially if we're able to, or if we're not able to, through other efforts," he said.

Yao added that he personally witnessed a flooded area and a fallen tree a few days ago.

Rainfall has been continuous, he continued, and many roads have either become unaccessible or are in bad condition.

A second screenshot on Yao's post shows that he has donated to the cause as well.

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by 姚彣隆 (@yaowenlong)

Four deaths reported in Johor as of Mar. 5 afternoon

Massive floods have hit several parts of Malaysia as the Northeast Monsoon season continues to prevail.

Johor is the state worst hit by the floods, with four people reported dead as of Sunday (Mar. 5).

According to Utusan Malaysia, the latest victim was a 69-year-old woman in Batu Anam, a town in the northern part of Segamat District in Johor.

Johor police said that the woman, Fatimah, had slipped and fallen into a large drain before she drowned.

Prior to this, two others, aged 78 and 74, were found dead after they were trapped in their homes, The Star reported.

The first fatality from the flood in Johor was reported in Kluang. A man was found dead inside his car after it was swept away by floodwaters.

As of Mar. 5 afternoon, over 46,000 people have evacuated their homes in Johor, with more than 13,000 families being placed at 264 temporary relief centres across 10 districts in the state.

Malaysian electricity company Tenaga Nasional Berhad has also temporarily shut down 48 of its power substations in Johor, Bernama reported.

Other states affected by the floods include Negeri Sembilan, Melaka, Sarawak, Sabah, Terengganu and Pahang.

Flood mitigation projects to be expedited

On Mar. 5 morning, Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim visited flood victims at a temporary relief centre in Segamat.

He conducted a press conference there, saying that the government has decided to speed up the operation of about RM600 million flood mitigation projects, intending to begin the work in June 2023.

"If we don't do anything serious about the flood, it will happen again. This is not the first time we've experience massive floods. It has been happening for many years.

Therefore, we decided that projects worth RM600 million or more will be expedited."

No need to declare an emergency in Johor

When asked if the government will declare an emergency in Johor due to the rising number of victims, Anwar said that there is no need for an emergency to be declared "as of now" as the flood situation has seen signs of improvement.

"Rain has has started to taper off and floodwaters have begun to recede in several places," he added.

The Malaysian Meteorological Department stated in its latest report that the Northeast Monsoon, which began in November 2022, is expected to end by the end of March 2023.

From now till the end of March, several states in Malaysia will continue to record heavy rainfalls.

Top image via Yao Wenlong's Instagram page, Polis Johor/Facebook