Kota Kinabalu: Api-Api assemblyman Loi Kok Liang questioned the appropriateness of holding a water-based Songkran Run in the city while residents and businesses in affected areas were struggling with prolonged water disruptions.
He said parts of the city centre, including KK Plaza, Sinsuran and Gaya Street, recently experienced serious water supply disruptions lasting three to four days.
He said the prolonged disruption not only affected daily life but also caused major difficulties for traders and business operators in the affected areas.
Throughout the period, he said he had requested assistance from the Water Department for water tanker lorries but did not receive any response.
As a result, he said he had to personally purchase bottled water for distribution to affected residents and traders.
However, during the same period when city residents were facing water shortages and waiting for basic assistance, a Songkran running event was held nearby where several water tankers were used to spray water on participants.
He said while he did not oppose the organisation of events aimed at stimulating the economy and attracting tourists, the situation raised serious questions about priorities.
“What would residents and traders who have gone several days without water feel when they see this happening?” he asked.
He said the situation would appear highly ironic for tourists who enjoyed water activities during the event only to return to hotels with no water supply at all.
“If the Sabah State Water Department (JANS) is unable to distribute water supply, then water tanker assistance should be provided. If even this basic assistance cannot be delivered, then the Government should consider appropriate compensation for the additional costs borne by the people,” he said.
He also urged the State Government to consider current conditions more carefully before approving large-scale events in future to avoid negative public perception.
Apart from the water issue, Loi said many city residents were also burdened by rising living costs, including higher electricity tariffs, gas prices and increasing construction material costs.
He said these increases created a damaging economic cycle where traders were forced to raise prices, consumers could no longer afford goods and services, and businesses eventually suffered.
He urged the Government to act on matters within its own control, including reviewing parking charges, hotel licence renewal fees and signboard fees imposed by local authorities.
He proposed that red and yellow parking zones in Kota Kinabalu be standardised to match the green zone parking rate of 53 sen per hour.
He also called for parking compounds to be reduced from RM30 to RM10, similar to the previous rate, saying the move could be introduced temporarily for one or two years to help people through difficult economic conditions.
“For the Government, the amount may seem small, but for the rakyat and business operators, it is a significant reduction in burden,” he said.
Loi also sought an update on the proposed waiting period for Smart Parking App users who had paid for parking but failed to extend their session on time, asking whether the Government intended to implement a grace period before compounds were issued.
On housing, he said many young buyers continued paying monthly bank loans for projects that had been delayed or left incomplete, citing concerns involving developments such as The Crown, Triconic Tower and Pacific City.
He urged the State Government to play a more active role in helping affected buyers, including facilitating negotiations with banks to restructure loan repayments and reduce the financial pressure on families still paying for homes that had yet to be delivered.
