A Comparative Analysis Between Experts and Local People’s Perspective on Challenges in Creating Flood Resilient Housing in Malaysia

Abstract

Malaysia is susceptible to natural disasters, including landslides and floods. According to the present scenario, floods are the most frequent natural disasters that result in substantial harm and fatalities in Malaysia. The Northeast Monsoon season lasts from November to March every year when flood commonly happens in Malaysia. Climate change, however, has altered the pattern of flood occurrences, either amplifying them or causing them to occur in unexpected places. Housing is one of the most essential aspects of life since it offers warmth, protection, shelter, and a place to relax. However, most residents in Malaysia are forced to flee and seek safety elsewhere during a flood, particularly those living in single-story houses. Sometimes evacuation centres are already overcrowded during the floods. The victims' mental and emotional well-being has been severely affected by the major floods in December 2021, which killed individuals, forced many people to leave their homes, and ruined properties in Malaysia. Semi-structured in-depth interviews with seventeen respondents, including experts from authoritative, professional, and academic backgrounds and local people in Malaysia, are undertaken to comprehend the current challenges in creating flood-resilient housing and gather information on interventions and best practices. In addition, interviews were conducted using open-ended questions. According to the findings, the opinions of locals and experts on building flood-resistant housing in Malaysia share significant similarities. Inefficient utilization of funding, inadequate effort from the responsible authorities, and untimely and deficient information dissemination of flood hazards are the main three barriers to creating flood-resilient housing in flood-prone locations. The outcome of this study distils the key barriers by comparing the expert's and local people's perspectives to obtain a wholesome understanding of the challenges to offer the best possible recommendations in the Malaysian context. Content analysis and observation can be incorporated as data collection strategies to further this research.