Professional Documents
Culture Documents
SEMESTER 5
OCT 2022 – FEB 2023
GROUP ASSIGNMENT:
INNOVATION: FROM IDEA TO ACTION (FLOOD)
PREPARED BY:
NAME MATRIC NO.
FAKRUL AZZIM BIN ABDULLAH 2020614396
MAISARAH MUNAWAR BINTI 2020608078
MAKHDUM MUNAWAR
NORHALIZA BINTI MD IBRAHIM 2020836502
SYAZWANIE BINTI SAFAR 2020862688
WAN NUR ZULAIKHA BT WAN 2020872278
ZULKEFLY
GROUP:
M1BA232 5B
PREPARED FOR:
MADAM NOORZALYLA BINTI MOKHTAR
DATE SUBMISSION:
TABLE OF CONTENT ii
1.0 INTRODUCTION
2.0 STORIES
2.1 Story 1
2.2 Story 2
2.3 Story 3
2.4 Story 4
3.0 FROM IDEA TO ACTION
7.0 CONCLUSION
REFERENCES
APPENDIXES
1.0 INTRODUCTION
Floods are the most prevalent type of natural disaster, and it encompasses both
riverine and coastal flooding. Coastal locations are especially vulnerable to tsunami
flooding, which can be exacerbated during high tide periods. Riverine floods are
common in Kuala Lumpur and most of the Klang Valley in Malaysia as a result of
heavy monsoon rains. In Kelantan's floodplains and other low-lying coastal areas,
both riverine and coastal flooding occur. Rapid urbanisation within river catchments
in recent years has exacerbated the situation by increasing runoff and deteriorating
river capacity, resulting in increased flood frequency and size (Billa et al., 2006). The
natural catastrophe that occurred in Malaysia primarily affected the east coast states of
Kelantan and Terengganu. Nowadays, flooding has occurred not only in those
locations, but also in the city districts of Melaka, Kuala Lumpur, and Selangor.
The flood problem in those places is worsening by the day, owing primarily to
human error and a faulty drainage system. The human problem is primarily caused by
irresponsible and greedy society, which will produce drainage system problems. Some
of them like to toss their rubbish in the drain in their backyard, while some of the
residents like to renovate their homes and block the drain that supposedly flows
straight to the river. According to an article by Liu et al,. (2022), an undeveloped
drainage system is more likely to cause flooding in cities. Torrential rain can cause
significant local and regional water logging due to poor drainage conditions. Urban
expansion and growth put a lot of pressure on the current drainage system,
particularly underground networks, raising the risk of regular flooding.
The effect of this flood crisis is that many human and animal lives have been
lost as a result of the flood all over the planet. Floods' impact in a given region may
also vary based on terrain. The destruction of public property and loss of life, on the
other hand, will surely have a considerable impact on human health, particularly for
those who have been directly impacted by the floods. Flood victims are at risk of
infection, wounds, hypothermia, and even bites from insects and venomous animals
during floods. They are also vulnerable to water-borne infections that can result in
diarrhea. Long-term financial problems may result from this calamity. Indeed, some
people have been psychologically traumatized and are unable to live normally long
after the flood has receded. Without a doubt, the flood calamity presented numerous
obstacles. Many people were affected by the flood and had to restart their lives.
2.1 Story 1
Muhammad Azhim Arief Bin Ahmad Alfi is 24 years old and a student
who lives in Terengganu. He is a student at Universiti Sultan Zainal Abidin
(UniSZA) and also a tenant who has lived in Terengganu for almost 5 years
and has experience during floods that happen in Malaysia.
As for him, sometimes he did not have a lot of time to prepare when
facing the flood, especially flash floods that happened suddenly and
unexpectedly. This makes him feel angry and stressed due to the fact that most
of his things are broken or damaged due to the flood. Azhim also mentioned
that he has faced the worst experience of his life, which is that all of his
assignments are wet and cannot be completed safely due to the flood. It is
worse when his laptop is also damaged and cannot be repaired because all of
his assignments did not have any backup, and it has gone in the blink of an
eye. It made him redo the assignment again.
Next, Mr. Azhim said the most significant impact on the country when
a flood happens is that it will destroy all of the things, and the worst is that it
will destroy the house. Based on his experience, he had seen a wooden house
get swept away in front of his own eyes due to a heavy flood last year while he
was on vacation in Dungun, Terengganu. It makes him feel afraid to go on
vacation at the end of the year.
Mr. Azhim stated that during the flood that occurred in December of
last year, he needed to rush in, pack his belongings quickly, and keep all of the
important items that are easily destroyed by water, such as his book, laptop,
and some documents, in a high and safe place. Since the water level increased
dramatically when he just went back from the classes, he did not have time to
get out of his rented house and needed to climb out of the house and stay on
the roof while waiting for help from the Malaysia Civil Defence Force.
Mr. Azhim's solution to the flood problem is that he wishes there was a
technology or a new system that could be installed to reduce or even prevent
the flood from damaging things. He also stated that he wants a new change to
prevent floods from destroying everything because they cause a lot of loss, not
only in money but also in things. Although the flood victims have received
some help from the government in the form of food and money, he thinks that
it is a waste because floods still happen every year and destroy things again.
Besides that, Mr. Azhim also hopes that the government will take
action in dealing with this flood issue, which not only gives the money but
also invests in making something that can have a positive impact on the
community in reducing the flood. This is because he has reported the cause of
the flood to the government, but they have only been told to be patient and
stand by if the flood occurs again. This makes him feel annoyed, and he really
hopes that any organization, not just the government, will really take action
about this problem.
2.2 Story 2
Mr. Azmi, an elderly villager, claims that every settlement along the
east coast experiences the flood tragedy on a regular basis. At the end of
December, there was flooding on Peninsula Malaysia's east coast. The
majority of the states on the Peninsula, particularly Kelantan and Terengganu,
had days of nonstop, intense rain from December through January, which
contributed to the massive flooding in both states.
The only thing that can be counted on these days is change, often in
unexpected ways, due to unpredictable weather patterns and the ongoing
human-caused climate crisis. Just as no one would ever anticipate having their
car get swept away by a flash flood. That is very strange. But occasionally, it
still occurs in Malaysia and other countries.
The car problem has had the most influence on the flood tragedy,
according to Mr. Azmi. A car with flood damage has a number of issues, such
as bad odors, rust, strange noises, engine smoke, and electronic damage. Any
recorded flood damage will be shown on a vehicle history report if you are
looking to purchase a used automobile. Due to the severity of the damage and
the high expense of the necessary repairs, flooded vehicles may sometimes be
considered a total loss. If a flood-damaged vehicle has been deemed a total
loss and given a salvage title, subsequent insurance may prove difficult or
more expensive.
Mr. Azmi believes that this issue should be improved to prevent car
damage during a flood disaster. Additionally, he wants the automobile to be
preserved as the nearby cars drift away into the distance and likely need to be
written off due to serious water damage.
2.3 Story 3
Mr. Syafiq bin Yusuf, single and 30 years old. He once studied at
University Technology Malaysia and currently teaches as lecturer at MARA
College. He moved to Malacca and has lived in Kampung Morten for about 10
years.
According to Mr. Syafiq, the most frequent natural disaster during his
stay in Kampung Morten was flooding. The flooding that occurred in his
residential area is the result of continuous heavy rain and the phenomenon of
high tides. According to him, the floods got worse after the river cruise was
built and started operating and caused the size of the river to become smaller
and the water level of the river to rise. This is also caused by the waste left
into the river from stalls and houses that are on the banks of the river and
coupled with tourists who like to throw rubbish into the river causing the
irrigation system and drainage to become clogged.
According to Mr. Syafiq's past experience, if a flood occurs, of course
the main problem he faces is that the house is flooded. This causes the
destruction of property and valuables. In addition, small traders in the
surrounding area were forced to close their stalls and cause them to lose their
source of income. This is because most of the residents in this area open
restaurants to attract foreign tourists. In addition, because Malacca is very fast
and dense, flooding events will cause traffic jams to become busy and slow.
The steps and preparations that Mr. Syafiq took to overcome the flood
problem where he placed valuables in high places and kept important
documents in a safe place. Based on past experience, the flood water level that
occurred in his residential area was not too high, therefore property damage
was minimal. However, as a precautionary measure, Mr. Syafiq will stay at a
friend's or relative's house nearby if it rains continuously and causes the flood
to recede slowly.
Mr. Syafiq hopes that the government can take effective steps to
overcome the flood problem. According to him, instead of maintaining
drainage due to waste, he suggested that the government enlarge the drainage
system to make it easier for water to flow. Mr. Syafiq said, instead of the
government spending money every year to help the community due to the
flood problem, it is better for the government to find effective and practical
measures to overcome the flood problem so that it does not happen again.
2.4 Story 4
Mr. Amar feels that, despite our best efforts, this flood cannot be
avoided; if it is fated to be affected by the flood, it will occur regardless. He
also remarked that this flood was unexpected. Sometimes this flood can go
beyond our thinking, which can sometimes result in not having enough NGO
volunteers to help flood victims.
Mr. Amar claims that due to a lack of volunteers, not all flood victims
were able to be saved. There are times when the quantity of volunteers
available is insufficient to assist all flood victims. Some flood victims had to
construct their own path to avoid being trapped in the flood zone and reach a
safer location. He hoped that flood victims would not have to panic when
faced with a flood situation, but rather that they would be prepared to move
immediately if a warning was issued.
According to Zaitun Mohd. Talib & Nor Siah Jaharuddin (2015), flooding is
the most devastating natural disaster, destroying human life and deteriorating the
environment. Malaysia has experienced major floods in various states since the 1920s,
but the most destructive flood in the state's history occurred in Kelantan in 2014, with
losses expected to exceed RM1 billion (USD 300 million). Flooding has been
Malaysia's most destructive natural disaster in recent years. Any high-water flow that
dominates the natural or artificial banks in any part of the river system is referred to as
a flood. When a river bank is breached, the water spreads across the floodplain and
becomes a hazard to society.
The most popular and cliche problem regarding this flood issue is the drainage
system problem, which is mainly caused by humans themselves. Certain
environmentally irresponsible individuals are causing the flood to grow larger by the
day. Not only that, the flood has also happened in city areas such as Kuala Lumpur,
Selangor, and Melaka. All of those areas did not have any flooding in ancient times.
The first innovation is the Absorber Flood Barrier. It is a thin, foldable square
bag that absorbs water. The aim of this innovation is to block the water from entering,
which can indirectly reduce the water level that enters the house or premises. This
Absorber Flood Barrier contains sodium polyacrylate powder instead of sand, which
is a super absorbent polymer that can absorb water. It will be activated when touched
with water and can be stretched to 5 inches in only 5 minutes. The amount of water
that can be absorbed is around 10 gallons. Because it is so thin and takes up so little
space, this product can be folded into a small size and stored in the storage or
anywhere else in the house. When there is a flood season, people can put up and
organize the Absorber Flood Barrier around their house to decrease the number of
water levels coming into the house.
The third innovation is the Lifebuoy Bag. It is an emergency flood kit that
contains all of the important tools that can be used when having a flood problem. The
speciality of this innovation rather than any other is that it also has a foldable
inflatable buoy, which can accommodate around 130 kg at a time. This will really
help the flood victims to keep floating while they wait for the rescue team to save
them and bring them to a safe place. Besides that, the Lifebuoy Bag itself can be used
as a buoy since it is made from the PVC product, and it can replace the lifesaver
jacket if there are no more left and the person needs to swim. With this bag, they can
float and not sink, and they can swim to a safe place or cling to a tree or anything else.
Other than that, with this Lifebuoy bag, it can save a lot of time for the flood victim,
they just take the bag and can just run to another safe place.
4.0 WORK ON THE IDEA
The flow chain in the figure below demonstrates how people use the
product. This product can help persons who have experienced flooding
problems and flood victims alike.
Figure 1: Flow Chain of Using Flood’s Product
Get complain
from people
Gather the
information of
the problem
Take the
NGO Volunteers
initiative to
solve the issue
Find learn
more about
the prototype
Innovator
Design the
prototype
Use the
product
Get
consumer’s
feedback
With thorough knowledge of the prototype, the innovator must find the
best solution to solve every issue. The solution that has been given must be a
convenient solution that can be used by all people of all ages. The innovator
will also create and test the solution before releasing it to the customer or
consumer. The testing part is one of the most important parts before releasing
the final product to the consumer. It is to make sure that the product is good,
does not break, and is safe to be used by consumers. Absorber Flood Barrier,
Automatic Car Canvas Protection, and Lifebuoy Bag are the prototype models
that the inventor tested. The innovator then requested that the customer try
their product and provide feedback after it was determined that it was
satisfactory.
4.2 Storyboard
5.0 PROTOTYPE
5.1 Prototype 1
Based on the interview session conducted with Mr. Syafiq, the water
level due to flooding is not too high. Therefore, the probability for property
and home assets to be damaged is low. Therefore, we came up with an
innovative idea called the absorber flood barrier.
You may position this product and wait for the water to come. It is
advised to partly activate them if a stream of water is anticipated so that they
don't drift away. Pre-soaking & stacking them is advised if creating a retaining
wall is needed. This invention may be utilized to prevent water from entering
open areas including the door portion. Additionally, this device is lightweight
and portable. This product has a relatively affordable price of RM30 and a
lengthy, flexible design that allows for the creation of various forms. This
product can be used once more. Once activated, crystals that contain sodium
polyacrylate will remain active until the water evaporates, typically taking
several weeks for complete evaporation. If left in position, they will shrink
while evaporating and grow when re-exposed to water.
Based on figure 4, this device will shield any type of car from flooding
damage and getting wet. It is because a canvas was attached on the car's roof;
when the water level reaches the sensor-detected limit level, the canvas will
automatically release itself from the roof. In addition to the sensor, it contains
a button that can be attached to the car key. When the button is pressed, the
canvas will begin to move to cover the entire vehicle. In just 5 minutes, this
automatic car canvas protection can completely enclose the vehicle,
particularly the area surrounding the engine, and there is also a weight that
will emerge from underneath the vehicle to stop it from moving during a
flood. This invention's primary purpose is to shield the vehicle from water
damage, especially the engine component. The ground-breaking item flood
guard makes the bold claim that it will shield your car from floating away or
being harmed by debris in a flood.
5.3 Prototype 3
This idea comes from the emergency first aid kit, which consists of all
of the things that can be used when an incident happens. With this Lifebuoy
bag, it can be used as a buoy too since it is made from PVC, which is
waterproof and lightweight. This product costs only RM45 and contains a
variety of items that are extremely useful when flooding occurs.Some people
will think it is expensive, but this Lifebuoy bag is actually very affordable
because everything in it is of high quality and would be even more expensive
if purchased separately.
However, if they did not have time to open the bag and reach out of the
buoy, the lifebuoy bag itself may be their last life saver, which they may cling
to in order to avoid sinking. In other words, the lifebuoy bag can also function
as a life jacket.
The overall weight of this Lifebuoy bag is only around 7 kg, which can
be carried by any adult, and it is not too big, so it can be put on any part of the
house, such as near the door, in the wardrobe, or even in the car since it
doesn't take up much space. With this Lifebuoy bag, people can keep all of
their important documents in the waterproof case and put them in the Lifebuoy
bag when there are signs of flooding. When floods arrive and the water level
rises quickly, they can easily reach the bag and bring it with them, eliminating
the need to think about the bag or case to keep the important thing.
According to Hariz Ikhwan (2022), when flash floods hit various parts
of Malaysia, many people were trapped in their cars as the currents became
too strong to navigate. Many were unprepared and suffered while waiting for
help. This demonstrates the significance of keeping an emergency kit in the
vehicle at all times. While, according to National Flood Forum (2020), being
prepared will make things a lot easier if our house floods. If we choose to stay
in the home or are evacuated to a rest centre, putting together a Flood Kit
'Grab bag' is essential for minimising risks and surviving the worst. All of
these statements compelled us to create this innovation of a Lifebuoy bag that
can be kept not only at home, but also in our vehicles.
7.0 CONCLUSION
REFERENCES
https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/flooding-in-malaysia-displaces-over-56000-5-
deaths-reported
Zaitun Mohd. Talib & Nor Siah Jaharuddin. (2015). Disaster Management: The Impact Of
Flood Disaster On Small Medium Enterprises In Malaysia. ResearchGate.
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/336510227_DISASTER_MANAGEMENT
_THE_IMPACT_OF_FLOOD_DISASTER_ON_SMALL_MEDIUM_ENTERPRISE
S_IN_MALAYSIA/citation/download
Hariz Ikhwan. (2022). 8 Essential Items You Should Have In Your Car's Emergency Kit in
Case of Floods. Motorist. https://www.motorist.my/article/1195/8-essential-items-
you-should-have-in-your-car-s-emergency-kit-in-case-of-floods
Billa, L., Shattri, M., Rodzi Mahmud, A., & Halim Ghazali, A. (2006). Comprehensive
planning and the role of SDSS in flood disaster management in Malaysia. Disaster
Prevention and Management: An International Journal, 15(2), 233–240.
https://doi.org/10.1108/09653560610659775
Liu, B., Xu, C., Yang, J., Lin, S., & Wang, X. (2022). Effect of Land Use and Drainage
System Changes on Urban Flood Spatial Distribution in Handan City: A Case
Study. Sustainability, 14(21), 14610. https://doi.org/10.3390/su142114610
APPENDICES