Kota Kinabalu: Warisan Vice President Datuk Junz Wong called on the Sabah Government to launch an independent inquiry into the procurement, installation and maintenance of water pipelines statewide, following fresh disruptions to water supply in Kota Kinabalu.
“Every time a pipe bursts, the public is told that repairs are underway. A few days later, another pipe bursts elsewhere,” he said.
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“This endless firefighting approach has become the norm instead of the exception. If even Kota Kinabalu continues to face repeated disruptions, one can only imagine the hardship in Penampang, Lok Kawi, Kinarut, Tawau and Sandakan,” he added.
He said the inquiry should establish whether these failures stem from ageing infrastructure, or from weaknesses in procurement and quality control, including possible corruption, abuse of power or negligence.
“Sabahans deserve to know whether they have been paying the price for years of poor planning or weak supervision.
“It should be conducted independently, involving professional engineers, technical experts, the Auditor General, the Malaysian Anti Corruption Commission where appropriate, and relevant professional bodies.
“It has been reliably brought to our attention that private water tankers queue daily from as early as 7am at the Kota Kinabalu Water Department depot in Gaya Park to collect water for affected commercial areas,” he said.
He said this is not a picture of temporary inconvenience, pointing out that it reflects an urban water system operating under continuous stress.
“The State Water Department must move beyond crisis management toward preventive maintenance, transparent infrastructure audits, systematic pipe replacement and modern monitoring systems.
“Sabahans are not asking for luxury. They are asking for clean and reliable water whenever they turn on the tap.
“Every burst pipe represents lost productivity, lost business and diminishing public confidence. Sabah deserves answers and lasting solutions,” he said.
