KOTA KINABALU – Residents living on higher grounds in Sandakan are living in a nightmare due to the constant water supply disruption that has been getting worse, said Datuk Frankie Poon Ming Fung (Tg Papat-DAP)
The party’s state chairman said between September 2021 to February 2022, there have been 96 water supply disruptions in Sandakan due to various reasons, and every time, water supply would stop completely for days.
“This is affecting not only the residents, but businesses in the district,” he said in his debate speech at the state assembly sitting today.
“Water treatment plants require a gen set (generator set) to pump water constantly. Surely there should be more than one gen set to ensure uninterrupted supply of water to consumers.
“The constant water supply disruption problem has not only caused an adverse impact on the quality of life of consumers, but they have also subjected each household or business owner to added burden by having to install water tanks (if permitted) and/or purchase treated water.
Similarly, Calvin Chong Ket Kiun (Elopura-Independent) echoed Poon’s concerns and questioned Sabah’s Works Minister Datuk Seri Bung Moktar Radin on why the problem is happening, and if there is a long-term solution to the problem.
He stressed that many members of the public are suffering over the issue. In particular, he gave a special mention to the people living in flats, especially those whose homes are on the higher levels.
“The water pressure is not sufficient to supply water to the top levels.
“Imagine restaurants and car wash services in these affected areas; how are they going to conduct their businesses smoothly?” he questioned.
Another issue raised on Sandakan was its infamous road from Mile 28 to Mile 32, which has been given a notorious nickname by the locals.
The road is known as Jalan Bulan due to its similarity to the pocked-face moon, due to the many craters and potholes along the road.
“Many people have called these stretches as driving on the moon. We had two years of movement control order (MCO) and restricted travelling in Sabah. These potholes have been around since before the MCO and they still exist today but are becoming more serious; more potholes, and they are deeper now.
“For me, one or two vehicles utilised for road maintenance for such a long stretch fall far short of the expectation of a developing country. A ride from Sandakan to Kota Kinabalu taking six to seven hours does not speak well of our road condition,” he said.
Earlier during Question Time, Chong had also already posed the question to Bung on the condition of the road.
The minister clarified that the Sabah government has decided not to repair or upgrade the said road as the Pan Borneo highway project in the area will be completed in two or two and a half years.
He said the said road’s “lifespan” was only up until 2018, hence the damages it is showing now.
“What is the use of spending RM200 million to RM300 million to upgrade this road when it is going to be demolished to give way to the Pan Borneo highway? That is bad spending,” Bung said.
Meanwhile, Poon raised the issue of the lack of parking spaces in Sabah’s public hospitals.
He said in Sandakan, as the district only has one hospital and no private hospital, patients are overcrowding the Duchess of Kent Hospital, making it almost impossible for one to find a parking space near the hospital.
“It is stressful for the patients and their family members. This problem is not only happening in Sandakan, but the same issue is happening at both the Queen Elizabeth I Hospital and Hospital Wanita dan Kanak-Kanak in Kota Kinabalu.
“I suggest that the Sabah government urge the federal Health Ministry to provide additional parking facilities at these hospitals,” he said. – The Vibes, March 21, 2022
