THE INCREASINGLY frustrated students who have had to study and reside at the sprawling campus of Universiti Malaysia Sabah (UMS) with little water supply are being told that some respite is finally in order.
Two of the nine tube wells currently under construction there are set to commence distribution of water to the campus on the outskirts of Kota Kinabalu starting March 26, said UMS vice-chancellor Datuk Dr Kasim Mansor.
He said all the wells will be fully operational by the end of April and will be able to meet the demands of the students on campus.
"Of these, eight wells will be able to produce up to one million litres of water a day (MLD) and meet the needs of the 22,000 students living on campus," he stated at a breaking of fast event on Tuesday.
Kasim said that water quality studies have been completed and it is anticipated that distribution to buildings and residential colleges will take place soon to resolve the acute water crisis felt by all those working, studying and residing on campus.
He also highlighted that another 4 MLD is being supplied to the university in the interim, in addition to the previous supply of 1.8 MLD by the Sabah Water Department.
UMS has grappled with an acute water shortage problem, exacerbated by its location within the Sepanggar area where water shortages are a recurring issue among residents.
The Vibes previously reported on the issue in January 2023 after numerous students voiced complaints on social media.
Initially, students at the university were rumoured to be planning a sit-in protest over their suffering but opted against it due to concerns about potential repercussions.
The situation gained national attention when Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim questioned the RM3 million allocated to the university to address the problem following his visit to UMS on May 31 last year.
Anwar's remarks came on the heels of an additional allocation of RM2 million to UMS as announced by Higher Education Minister Datuk Zambry Abdul Kadir. This happened when a group of students held a protest during his visit there on January 8.
Atl this while, students have had to rely solely on a mobile tank filled with water that has been delivered by a lorry.
However, controversy arose when suspicions were raised due to the foul odour the tank emitted. Students who then inspected the tank discovered that it was infested with maggots.
UMS has also faced public scrutiny amid allegations of misappropriation of allocated funds.
Kasim had previously pointed out that the system to source water from the tube wells would only be a short-term fix to the water problems on campus. – The Vibes, March 21, 2024
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