The weather in Malaysia is
characterised by two monsoon regimes, namely the Southwest Monsoon that starts
from late May to September, and the Northeast Monsoon from November to March.
The Northeast Monsoon brings heavy rain especially to the states on the east
coast of Peninsular Malaysia, west of Sarawak and east of Sabah, while the
Southwest Monsoon relatively shows drier weather. The transition period between
these two monsoons is known as the inter-monsoon phase.

Flash floods are a common
occurrence in Kuala Lumpur during the monsoon season. The city experiences
several flash flood events annually with the most widespread flood in Kuala
Lumpur taking place in 1971. Several structural and non-structural measures have
been taken to mitigate the floods in the heart of Kuala Lumpur. One short term
measure being taken note of recently are sandbags that are being deployed to be
used as barricades across a few flood hotspots across Kuala Lumpur.

Sandbagging is a flood prevention
technique that has been around for centuries. One can build a barrier with sand
bags to help divert and stop water from getting inside vulnerable doors and
around foundations. Sandbagging can be done with traditional sand bags, the
most recognizable of which is burlap.

In a role reversal with no actual
functionality, The Monument of Sungai Gombak is
built with 3 sheets of A0 paper filled with polyester fibres with foam cubes as
supporting structures. The actual rock that inspired the Monument currently sits at the river bank
along Jalan Sultan Azlan
Shah (previously known as Jalan Ipoh).

The rock still sits by the river,
and spends its days watching the destruction of all that was familiar and the
changing of the foundations of life. Choosing to use polyester fibre as
stuffing renders this object’s shape and size malleable to my will. The power
to fashion this rock of mine to however I see fit lends me the vision that the
future is malleable and the power is in my hands.

On a more personal note, I once
almost flooded a hotel bathroom because of a faulty faucet in the bathtub.