KOTA KINABALU: Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Shahelmey Yahya stated that the additional allocation under the 12th Malaysia Plan mid-term review for Sabah, which aims to address water problems, has been long awaited. The state believes that the immediate allocation of RM800mil for Sabah and Kelantan to overcome water supply disruption was a result of discussions held with Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim earlier this year. Shahelmey said, “I believe it is part of our request from our discussions in early June,” when contacted on Monday (Sept 11).
The announcement of the funds was made by Anwar during the tabling of the mid-term review in Parliament. Sabah had high hopes for RM320mil in federal assistance to combat its water issues. The delay in disbursing the assistance had become a contentious political topic, given the persisting water problems experienced in different areas of the state, including Kota Kinabalu, such as low water pressure and dry taps over the past 18 months.
According to Shahelmey, the state requires the funds to execute projects aimed at tackling non-revenue water (NRW) and enhancing the distribution network. Immediate measures were taken to address low water pressure, especially in the state capital, which have shown some improvement over the past month. These measures include clamping down on water theft, repairing leaky pipes, and increasing the production of treated water to meet the demand in multiple areas such as Kota Kinabalu, Tuaran, Putatan, Papar, Beaufort, Keningau, Tawau, Lahad Datu, and Sandakan.
Credit: The Star : News Feed
