So near yet so far for 12,000 Pulau Gaya folks
Published on: Tuesday, January 17, 2017
Kota Kinabalu: Since the completion of the RM100 million Federal-funded project, water supply only reached Gayana Island Resort, SK Pulau Gaya, SMK Pulau Gaya and the Eastern Sabah Security Command (Esscom)-based on the island. Hence, the 12,000 residents felt they were being sidelined by the Government as they have to spend over RM100 a week to buy water at RM7 per jerry can that contain 200 litres. A government retiree, Kanchi Abdullah, 63, said he and his extended families never enjoyed treated or clean water since living in Kg Pulau Gaya Asal in the island since independence.
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"In the past, we would save rainwater during rainy season and dig up wells to provide daily water supply for our bath, cooking and drinking."And then we started buying water from a boat ferrying two to three tanks of water to our houses."Since I have extended families like 17 family members in my house, we use about 10 jerry cans in two days," he said, when met during a visit by the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) to the water supply project on the island on Sunday.PAC Chairman Datuk Hasan Arifin together with one of its committee members Datuk Dr Marcus M.Mojigoh, Sabah Water Department new director Willis Ansoi, and other senior officials visited the island.
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Kanchi, who is also SMK Pulau Gaya Parents and Teachers Association Chairman, hoped the government would speed up installing water piping connection to their houses as water is one of the basic necessities needed in lives."It is irony that when looking at the huge water reservoir on the hill in the island…we feel such facility is like a statue that stand proudly but could not do anything to help the people on the island.
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"In fact, many of us felt offended because the completed water reservoir did not supply clean water to us which we really need for our daily use but the government has no problem of channelling clean water to the Gayana resort, the two schools and the Esscom-based needs."We find it strange and questionable why we the 'rakyat' need for treated water was not fulfilled by the government. Where is the 1Malaysia concept being practised here?," he said.Meanwhile, headman of Kg Pulau Gaya Asal Nawawi Aripin told reporters that the cluster tanks built in each of the four villages in the island are being manned by the respective headmen of the villages.Together with village head of Kg. Gaya Pulau Gaya, Saimah Salam, both told reporters that the cluster tanks need water metres and the deposit is more than RM1,000, which they find it difficult to raise from the villagers whom are many low-income earners.Furthermore, they said the cluster tanks may have low water pressure and they worry that once water pipe connection is installed, the villagers have to buy water pump for smooth of clean water supply to their houses.Stay up-to-date by following Daily Express’s Telegram channel.
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