Kota Kinabalu: Warisan President Datuk Seri Mohd Shafie Apdal wants the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) to investigate the prolonged water crisis at Universiti Malaysia Sabah (UMS), describing the situation as “a national shame.”
The water shortage has left more than 23,000 students and staff at the public university struggling with basic necessities for days, forcing them to queue with pails to bathe and purchase bottled water while trying to focus on their studies.
“The prolonged water crisis at UMS is no longer just a local issue but has become a national shame,” Shafie said.
“When students at a major public university are forced to go days without clean water to drink, cook and bathe, it reflects a deep failure in governance and planning and shows no compassion,” he said.
The university relies on the R13 tank that also serves Hospital Likas and nearby commercial zones. When water levels fall below 0.5 meters, the entire system fails.
Despite numerous reports and letters to the Sabah Water Department, Shafie claimed no formal action has been taken.
Adding to the controversy, the Department publicly said that water supply was sufficient, a claim later contradicted by UMS Vice-Chancellor Prof Datuk Dr Kasim Mansur.
“This raises serious doubts about transparency and internal accountability within the Department,” Shafie said.
He said nearly five years have passed since GRS took power with no meaningful progress on resolving the water crisis.
“If real planning had been done, no student would be living through water shortages in 2025,” he said.
Shafie called for transparency in investigating the contractors and water concessionaires involved in the area, questioning their track record and whether contracts were awarded transparently.
“I therefore call upon the MACC to investigate who the contractor or water concessionaire is in this area. What is their track record? Were contracts awarded transparently? Is there corruption or mismanagement at play?
“If the Sabah government has nothing to hide then it should have no issue welcoming the investigation by the MACC,” he added.
The water crisis has prompted student protests, with many forced to seek alternative housing arrangements while dealing with the basic necessity shortage.
“It is no wonder the students are protesting because they are demanding basic human dignity. Water is not a political game. It is a human right,” he said.
