On 19th July 2026, 65 enthusiastic participants from nine distinct communities in Kampung Pasir and Tampoi Flats concluded its two days of informative disaster and risk management training in Kampung Pasir, Johor Bahru.
The first iteration of the programme, led by Iskandar Malaysia Social Heroes Awards (IMSHA) winner Ihsan Johor, who is also a National Disaster Management Agency (NADMA) NGO partner for the Community-Based Disaster and Risk Management (CBDRM) programme, took place in Segamat, Johor, in August 2025. Ihsan Johor has also been providing aid to disaster areas for over a decade, particularly in Johor.
“The purpose of this programme is to help communities be more resilient and prepared with the right knowledge while they are waiting for help,” said Farrah Faridah Baptist, Ihsan Johor Chief Executive Officer to The Iskandarian.
According to her, the first floor of their five-story apartment building submerged underwater during one of the greatest floods to hit the Tampoi community in 2025. For days, residents woring in Singapore were stranded and suffered financial losses in addition to losing their jobs. Based on Farrah’s experience responding to community appeals for assistance, there were occasions when the temporary shelter (PPS) was full and relief did not reach specific locations.
The recent disaster drew eager participants for this episode of the programme, despite physically demanding activities such as community clean-up (gotong-royong), mudball-making and its uses, teamwork development, and many others.
Aqma, 48, a participant from Kampung Pasir, said she learned a lot from the programme, especially how to use mudballs to clear irrigation ditches, and she hopes to participate in more similar programmes.
Another participant, Mohamad Fairudin Kasim, 31, praised the programme, saying that everyone should attend because it prepares them for disasters like floods.
Kampung Pasir’s village chief, Zaini bin Sinong, welcomes such programmes to be held again in the future, citing the fact that this area is prone to flooding when heavy rain and monsoon season begins, with the worst floods occurring just last year.
“I hope this programme will make participants aware of how important it is to keep their neighbourhood clean,” he said, adding that a cleaner irrigation system with less trash would help alleviate the flood. He also thanked Ihsan Johor and NADMA for hosting the programme.
Pannir Selvam, Perling Assemblyman and newly appointed Johor state chairman of the Unity, Heritage, and Culture Committee, attended the programme’s closing ceremony and praised it as a meeting point for unity and strengthening relationships between multiracial communities, saying it should be implemented in multiple locations.
“I recommend that this (programme) be implemented because it promotes unity among multi-racial communities in Johor and create awareness about disasters and resilience,” he told The Iskandarian following the closing ceremony.
Ihsan Johor would head to Mersing for the Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) and CBDRM programmes on the 25th and 26th of July 2026.
Communities that are interested in holding similar programmes may reach out to Ihsan Johor through its WhatsApp number at +60 12-253 8091, or email ihsanjohorofficial@gmail.com. For more of their humanitarian aid, programmes and other activities are available at their Facebook page, Ihsan Johor.
