KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 21 — The losses to home-grown businesses caused by the massive floods across peninsular Malaysia are only starting to emerge as the waters recede and owners are able to access and assess the extent of damage to their property.

For popular supermarket chain Mydin, which has 66 outlets nationwide, the losses for just one store run into the hundreds of thousands in ringgit.

Mydin Mohamed Holdings Bhd managing director Datuk Ameer Ali Mydin told The Star that the damage from the floods alone at its shop in the Shah Alam neighbourhood of Taman Sri Muda, — one of the worst hit areas in Selangor — would be between RM200,000 and RM300,000. And that excludes the losses suffered from the looting.

"It will be more if we take into account the damage to our premises. The burglars were armed with knives and parang and they stole our expensive watches and electrical appliances,” Ameer was quoted as saying in the news report published today.

He added that the company will be filing a police report on the theft soon.

Despite the massive losses, Ameer said Mydin will continue to provide necessary supplies to the local residents displaced by the floods. Tens of thousands in Selangor alone have been forced to leave their flooded homes and seek shelter at temporary relief centres.

Mydin was not the only supermarket hit in the Selangor capital city.

Shah Alam police chief Assistant commissioner Baharudin Mat Taib confirmed that looters also broke into and stole goods from KK Mart, 7-Eleven, and Jimat Supermarket.

"We received word of several incidents, especially in the Seksyen 15 area, which was hit hard by the floods,” he was quoted saying.

The senior policeman said crime prevention squads have been sent out on patrol even though no reports on thefts have been filed so far.

But Baharudin noted that the victims may not be able to check on their properties yet to assess the extent of damage and losses caused by the looters as some areas were still under water.