Kota Kinabalu: Kuala Penyu Assemblyman, Limus Jury on Tuesday, said the State Government must seriously look into the water issue in his constituency that has become critical in certain areas.Water supply in Kuala Penyu, he said, especially in Pekan Menumbok, has reached a crucial stage for the past several years.
To this, he asked whether the on-going Tamu Kayul Water Supply Project would be able to resolve water problem in Kuala Penyu holistically in the long-term.
"I also would like to ask the Ministry of Infrastructure Development on the capacity of the present water tanks and whether it is able to maintain the volume of treated water," he asked.
He said the ministry should provide information as to whether the plant is capable of supplying water up to Menumbok or the demands up to 2030.
According to him, the Limbawang water plant that supplies water to the Tamu Kayul channel system normally would face problems supplying treated water to the consumers whenever the Sungai Padas is flooded.
He claimed that the main pipe to Menumbok is beset with illegal connections resulting in water theft and high risk of leakage.
"And since Menumbok is situated at the end of the supply system, does the Water Department have any plans to build a plant especially for Menumbok?" he asked.
Jury said the residents in his constituency have been suffering from shortage of water supply for decades but still voted for the Barisan Nasional (BN) because they believe that only the BN has the capability of fighting for their plight.
He also urged the government to seriously look into posting doctors into the Kuala Penyu Hospital.
While the hospital is the pride of the people there, he said, it does not have a single permanent doctor serving the patients.
On his mission, Jury said there are three main aspects he would like to see accomplished in his constituency, which are tourism development, education and economy or entrepreneurship.
He said it is his aspiration to see education development enhanced in Kuala Penyu such as the construction of hostel and cafeteria at SMK Menumbok, structural repair of SMK Kuala Penyu, to replace dilapidated classrooms in primary schools and to repair and replace severely dilapidated teachers' quarters.
He also said the government must upgrade primary and secondary schools as well as provide the schools with computer laboratory, among others.
On tourism, he said the Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Environment, should be serious in promoting Kuala Penyu more aggressively as an eco-tourism destination.
The constituency with its mud volcano in Pulau Tiga, Dusun Tatana culture and traditional heritage of "Barasik", he said, ought to be promoted and included in Sabah's annual tourism calendar.
"Marine-based tourism in Kuala Penyu should also be enhanced because we have many localities that could be commercially promoted such as the caged fish at Tasik Sitompok, fireflies at Sungai Sitompok and tuntul or siput sedut along the beaches," he said.
Whales also, he said, frequent the coastal waters there.
On this, Jury asked the ministry if it has come up with a tourism development plan for Kuala Penyu.
The plan is important, he said, so as to determine the community's participation in the planning and implementation of tourism development in the constituency.
On entrepreneurship, Jury expressed hope that the relevant departments and agencies including Sabah Economic Development Corporation (Sedco) look for ways and conduct activities to generate economic activities for the people in the locality.
On education, he pledged to "donate" his assemblyman's stipend or salary to the Kuala Penyu education fund.
He said an education foundation would be formed soon.
