Kota Kinabalu: The Federal Government has committed another RM1 million for a short-term intervention plan to reduce water supply disruptions at Universiti Malaysia Sabah (UMS).
Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Fadillah Yusof made the announcement during his visit to the varsity, Monday.
The Energy Transition and Water Transformation Minister added that the allocation for the plan under his Ministry would be implemented in collaboration with the Ministry, the Sabah Water Department and UMS.
It would include the construction of a dedicated distribution pipeline to connect UMS’s existing underground water source.
There will also be the installation of an underground water tank with an additional capacity of 0.13 million litres to boost the water supply.
Apart from that, automated modulating valves will be installed to stabilise water levels in UMS’s service tanks.
“It is expected to directly benefit more than 3,000 students, especially those residing in Tun Mustapha Residential College and Tun Fuad Residential College, who are frequently affected by water supply disruptions.
“To ensure adequate water pressure to student housing areas, the Sabah Water Department will also install in-line booster pumps from the service tanks to both residential colleges, using the existing bypass pipeline built by UMS.”
The intervention works are expected to take one month and will contribute to the improvement of UMS’s water supply system operations.
Present during the inspection were Higher Education Minister Datuk Seri Zambry Abdul Kadir and UMS vice-chancellor Professor Datuk Dr Kasim Mansor.
In May 2023, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim had announced an allocation of RM3 million to solve UMS’s water problems; the following year, Zambry also added another RM2 million for the varsity.
Despite the allocations, thousands of students are still struggling with the same issues, which prompted some of them to stage protests against the government.
The Sabah Government had said the causes of disruption included ongoing construction of treatment plants and their structures, damage and water theft.
