JOHOR BARU: Securing Malaysia’s water supply for the future will depend on using smart technologies and digitalisation, says Datuk Seri Fadillah Yusof.
The Energy Transition and Water Transformation Minister said the government is focused on strengthening and transforming the water sector for the sake of Malaysia’s water resource sustainability.
Fadillah who is the Deputy Prime Minister, said these efforts should position the nation as a “dynamic water hub” that adds to economic growth by creating new job opportunities and driving research and development (R&D), innovation, and commercialisation in water sustainability.
“We need to focus on R&D if we want our country to compete with others, ensuring we are not left behind, especially when it comes to technical expertise.
“We cannot become experts by simply doing routine tasks; that’s why innovation and creativity are vital.
“For instance, one of the main challenges faced by the Drainage and Irrigation Department (DID) is ensuring the safety and sufficiency of our water supply. There’s also high demand for water from the data centres that are investing in our country,” he said.
He said this during a speech at the launch of the DID Innovation Day and the Senior Managers and District Engineers Conference 2024 at a hotel, here, on Sunday (Sept 22).
Fadillah also said that although Malaysia is fortunate to have abundant water resources, these need to be transformed or recycled to meet the demands of both the public and industry.
“We are also responsible for safeguarding people’s well-being and protecting them from the impacts of climate change, particularly during floods.
“That’s why innovation is so important – to generate ideas that benefit both the general public and industry,” he said, adding that this would also help to improve the Ministry’s public image.
He acknowledged that negative perceptions can only be changed by taking the right actions and addressing public concerns quickly.
“Even the Public Works Department (JKR) was once mocked with the nickname ‘Jangan Kerja Rajin’ (‘Don’t Work Hard’), which is why, when I was Minister, I instructed that any small issue, such as potholes, should be dealt with within 24 hours.
“We had around 10,000 Public Works Department employees at the time, so we needed to be proactive rather than waiting for the public to file complaints,” he said.
