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SHAH ALAM – A young man braved the rain and spent almost two hours clearing a clogged drain along a route in Taman Perling, Johor Bahru, earning praise from social media users.
Part-time delivery rider Mohammad Amirruddin Mohd Rizal, 21, said he took the initiative after seeing traffic congestion following heavy rain on Wednesday afternoon.
He said during the unexpected situation, he saw many road users having to make U-turns to avoid their vehicles being submerged in floodwaters.
“I felt sorry for those trying to get through because they did not know which route to take. Many cars had already stopped, while some had broken down.
“So, when the traffic was no longer too congested, I went down and tried to find out where the water was coming from. After checking, I found that the drain was clogged with rocks and rubbish,” said the Tampoi resident when contacted by Sinar.
A video showing Amirruddin helping to remove rubbish and large rocks from the drain went viral on Threads, garnering 256,747 views and 7,900 likes.
Amirruddin, who previously worked as a cleaner in Singapore, said his experience working there had made him more aware of the condition of drains and drainage systems.
“In Singapore, the drains are large and I would always check the drains. If there were safety issues, the company could face action,” he said.
He added that two to three e-hailing drivers also stopped to help after seeing what he was doing, while one of them recorded the video.
“When I saw the water starting to recede and people were able to move more smoothly, I felt happy.
“The economy is not doing well these days, so I was worried that people's cars might break down. If they had to make a U-turn, they would have to go quite far,” he said.
According to Amirruddin, his action was inspired by advice from his father and late grandmother not to cause inconvenience to others, to always do good and to be responsible.
“I did it for Allah SWT and accepted whatever happened. If anything happened to me, I thought that perhaps I would die a martyr.
“I used to enjoy playing in drains when I lived with my grandmother. So, when I saw a situation like this, I felt compelled to help,” he said.
