It’s flooding on the twelfth floor

Lived reality: People living in public housing complexes are the ones who have the knowledge of the intricate details of the day-to-day experiences and challenges faced by the community.

I WAS walking around the blocks at a public housing complex in Selangor when I noticed the plastic covers on the windows. Each unit had its own type of plastic, and they all covered the entire window. Some looked like they had been on there for a while, and some looked new. But they all did not look aesthetically pleasing, and they blocked the air from outside. I asked a lady who was giving me a tour of the area what the plastics were for.

“To block the rain, ” she replied. “Especially if they are coming sideways because of the wind. If not, the house will flood. I live on the twelfth floor, and if I don’t put the plastics on, for sure it’ll flood.”