KUALA TERENGGANU – The Terengganu government is channelling RM2.79 million in immediate aid to residents of Kuala Nerus and Kuala Terengganu affected by a second round of water supply disruption since Monday.
Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Ahmad Samsuri Mokhtar in a statement today said the allocation includes RM1.04 million from Syarikat Air Terengganu Sdn Bhd (Satu) under its corporate social responsibility programme, with the funds to be distributed to 104 village development and security committees to provide drinking water to 29,151 account holders.
“The emergency aid covers the supply of boxes of drinking water worth RM1.25 million to all affected households. Another RM500,000 will be channelled as CSR aid from Satu for management and logistics related to supply to all the areas involved.”
He said the aid will be channelled via state constituency service centres and coordinators in the affected areas.
The state government will ensure that clean water is delivered to all residents until the crisis is resolved, he said.
Samsuri has also directed the authorities investigating the first water crisis that hit early this month to extend the scope of their probe to cover the second incident, so that a long-term solution can be found.
Yesterday, state Infrastructure, Public Utilities and Green Technology Committee chairman Mamad Puteh said the second case of damaged pipes on the Sg Terengganu riverbed is more serious than the first, and that repairs are expected to be completed by September 12.
The first water cut, which lasted 12 days beginning August 2, was due to a broken pipe on the riverbed. Supply was restored in stages beginning August 13.
Samsuri told reporters that the drinking water aid will be distributed to residents starting tomorrow. – Bernama, August 25, 2021