Kota Kinabalu: The continuing water supply problems in populated areas of Sabah, including Kota Kinabalu City, is becoming a major issue that deserves the immediate attention and action of the Sabah Government’s top leaders, said Datuk Yong Teck Lee, Sabah Progressive Party (SAPP) president.
Yong, a nominated assemblyman, who also the co-plaintiff in the 2019 High Court judgement against the Sabah Water Department, said water is a daily necessity for survival, hygiene and health.
“The lack of water is becoming a major issue seriously impacting more and more people.
Today’s news reports that the Sabah Water Department needs several weeks to repair water pumps at the Telibong Water Treatment Plant exposes the poor management and lack of maintenance of water pumps.
“How can the Water Department wait for the pumps to break down first and then call for repairs? This is negligence and failure to provide uninterrupted water supply. This poor attitude by the Department is like waiting for the car to break down in the middle of the road before sending the car to be maintained.
“Luckily, the Water Department is not running airports and airlines, which planes are absolutely not allowed to break down in mid-air!
It is a serious flaw in the management and maintenance if the pumps are “to be repaired” after breakdowns, which repairs can take weeks.
Something is seriously wrong in that Department. People are getting angry.
“I call on the Sabah government to do something about the water supply disruptions, put only the best and qualified officers and engineers to be in charge of the Water Department, pump in more funds for repairs and maintenance and to minimise Non-Revenue Water (NRW) caused by broken pipes.