Kuala Lumpur: Sandakan MP Vivian Wong Shir Yee said the Federal government should allocate funds to address Sabah’s water supply woes, especially in Sandakan.
“There is an urgent need to relocate water intake from Sungai Segaliud to other more suitable location.
“This is not only to ensure Sandakan’s consistent water supply in the future, but also to tackle its salty water issue that lasted for half a year,” she said during a debate at the Dewan Rakyat, recently.
“Last year, Deputy Chief Minister III and Works Minister Datuk Shahelmy Yahya said Sabah Water Department (Jans) proposed to transfer the Sandakan Segaliud Water Treatment Plant (LRA) to Sungai Meliau or Sungai Kinabatangan as a new potential water source.
“This suggestion involves research and detailed design to improve the standard of the current water treatment plant, including the construction of the raw water supply channel system from the new raw water source to Betotan Dam, Segaliud, Sandakan.
“It will be placed as a priority under the Fifth Rolling Plan in the 12th Malaysia Plan,” she said.
Meanwhile, Vivian also said Sabah’s capacity to attract new investments and exports is also affected by the electrical supply problem.
“This is because the previous governments failed to plan ahead.
Now, Sabah is facing electrical supply woes. Sabahans are paying the price today,” she said, urging the current government to not fall into the same trap of complacency.
