The Sabah Water Department has promised to provide three million litres of water per day to Universiti Malaysia Sabah (UMS) campus to address the long-standing issue of water disruptions that have affected the campus for the past two years. This commitment was made during a dialogue between state water officials, UMS representatives, and student leaders chaired by Deputy Higher Education Minister Datuk Mustapha Sakmud.
The volume of water supplied is said to be sufficient to meet the daily needs of the campus. The dialogue was designed to provide a clear picture of the water supply situation at UMS, particularly after students demonstrated their frustration to Higher Education Minister Datuk Seri Zamry Abd Kadir on Jan 8.
Mustapha emphasized the importance of transparent communication with the student leadership and the need for accurate information regarding the water supply situation. He also visited the Telibong II Water Treatment Plant Project (Phase 2) in Tuaran, which is expected to alleviate water shortages at the university and areas north of Kota Kinabalu.
As part of efforts to address the current water supply challenges, UMS will continue working on the ongoing tube well project to tap into underground water sources. Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim has allocated RM3 million for the project, with an additional RM2 million from Zambry following the student protests.
Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Shaelmey Yahya, who is also the state Works Minister, stated that the piping system at Telibong would be completed by the end of January, with the aim of improving water supply to UMS and the northern areas of Kota Kinabalu.
