Rescuers struggle to reach Malaysia flood victims

This aerial view shows houses submerged in floodwaters in Pengkalan Chepa, near Kota Bharu. Photo / Getty Images

Rescuers are struggling to get help to the tens of thousands of people affected by Malaysia's worst flooding in decades as angry victims accused the government of being slow in its response.

Malaysians have vented their anger at Prime Minister Najib Razak after photos went viral on social media showing him playing golf with US President Barack Obama during the storms.

The number of people forced to flee their homes climbed past 120,000 with weather forecasters warning of no respite for the northeastern states of Kelantan, Terengganu and Pahang.

From the air, parts of Kota Bharu, the state capital of badly-affected Kelantan, resembled a vast, muddy lake, with row after row of rooftops peeking out of the murky waters.

Tempers were frayed among people sheltering at a crowded relief centre just outside Kota Bharu, with fears the situation would worsen as it continued to rain in surrounding areas.

"I am angry with them (the government). We don't care about their politics. We just want the government to do what they should do and help us," said 23-year-old Farhana Suhada, who works for a courier service.

Holding on tightly to her six-month-old baby, she said: "For breakfast I had three biscuits and tea. There's not enough water and no food at all for my baby. I had to buy my own milk."

The under-fire Najib, meanwhile, arrived in Kelantan to lead the national flood response after cutting short his holiday in Hawaii and was expected to meet flood victims.

The massive flooding, caused by torrential northeast monsoon rains, has so far left five people dead.

The region is regularly hit by flooding during the annual monsoon, but this year's rains have been unusually bad.

Military helicopters and trucks were seen in the Kota Bharu area, which is near the border with southern Thailand, but rescue efforts were being hampered by fast rising waters and strong currents while roads to hard-hit areas were impassable.

- AAP