KOTA KINABALU – The Sabah assembly has passed three bills today, including the Sabah Water Supply Enactment Bill 2022.
Sabah Works Minister Datuk Seri Bung Moktar Radin, when tabling the bill, told the assembly that the bill proposed is to amend the Sabah Water Supply Enactment 2003.
The bill, he said, will further empower and reinforce the enactment, and improve the quality of existing water supply services.
Generally, the bill contains amendments to 20 sections, the addition of seven new sections, the replacement of seven sections, and the abolishment of four sections to the Sabah Water Supply Enactment 2003.
Bung said that it will provide for a higher compound and penalty rate to send a clear message to users not to install illegal piping and commit water theft.
It will also provide rewards for those who report illegal piping cases to the Sabah Water Department.
“Our purpose is not to burden the offenders or find extra income for the government, but we want to send a message to individuals and companies to be responsible.
“Almost all contractors, be it the Pan-Borneo highway project or other projects, have done this offence (illegal piping) – no fewer than ten times (by each company).
“(This is) because we issue (a very low) compound of RM5,000 – sometimes RM3,000.
“That is why we have introduced (a compound of) RM50,000, RM100,000, and even up to RM200,000 (for repeated offences).
“If people keep breaking the same laws, it is as though we don’t have laws that people respect,” he said.
He said that the department has been losing millions of ringgit through outstanding bills, as well as 5.9% of non-revenue water lost through illegal piping connections.
“This has made it difficult for the Sabah Water Department to perform its duties and to provide quality service in supplying clean water to the state,” he said.
Bung also said that the bill provides more authority to the Sabah Water Department, including issuing licences to water operators on its own, which will ensure that the department will be able to play its role more effectively and with a proper structure.
Meanwhile, the Sabah assembly had also passed the Sabah Solid Waste and Public Cleansing Management Bill 2022 today.
State Local Government and Housing Minister Datuk Seri Masidi Manjun said that the bill was enacted to monitor the management of solid waste and public cleansing in Sabah.
It provides for a more detailed management procedure that is lacking in the Local Government Ordinance 1961.
With this bill, Masidi said that the Sabah Solid Waste Management Council will be established, and it will focus on solutions pertaining to management and solid waste disposal and public cleansing that are more systematic, holistic, and effective for all local authorities.
Through this council, the federal government could channel allocation directly to the council in line with the Division 4 of the Bill, as the council is capable of handling solid waste and public cleansing management wholly in Sabah.
In addition, other matters relating to cleanliness are under the ninth schedule of the federal constitution.
Among the functions of the council are as follows:
- To instruct local authorities on matters relating to solid waste management and public cleansing, and reasonable administration as well as enforcement of related laws;
- To summarise policies, plans, and services strategies of solid waste management and public cleaning; and
- To monitor or recommend any improvement on new technology for solid waste management and public cleansing.
The bill has 12 divisions and 72 sections.
Earlier, the assembly had passed the Local Government Enactment Bill 2022, which amended the Local Government Ordinance 1961.
Masidi, who tabled the bill, said it aims to empower the Local Government Ordinance 1961 in line with the people’s demands for more effective services by local authorities.
The bill, among others, will allow local authorities to increase their income by increasing the amount charged for certain penalties and giving greater jurisdiction to local authorities. – The Vibes, March 24, 2022
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