More time, not black magic to resolve Sabah's water, electricity woes: Bung Moktar

KOTA KINABALU – Sabah Deputy Chief Minister I Datuk Seri Bung Moktar Radin today pleaded for more time to turn the Sabah Water Department around.

He said private firms selling water and electricity in the state are making money, and the Water Department is losing around RM300 million each year.

Currently, Sabah only has authority over its water resources.

Bung Moktar is the state’s works minister.

“There are too many companies selling water and making profits. The government is losing RM300 million every year. 

“This amounts to billions of ringgit in losses over the past decades. I have sought help from the Water Department director to turn around this problem. 

“Give me a bit of time. It will be my first priority in the next five years to improve the supply and (revenue) collection of water and electricity in the state. 

“I will not use black magic, but I will do my best on this matter. The Gabungan Rakyat Sabah government will do its work, and we hope the opposition-elected representatives will help us too,” he said during the question-and-answer session in the state assembly. 

Bung was responding to a question from Justin Wong (DAP-Sri Tanjung).

Wong asked a question on what the state government would do to ensure ample water supply in Tawau, given that a drought is expected in the first quarter of 2021. 

Three days ago, Bung said Sabah Electricity Sdn Bhd (SESB), which manages electricity supply in Sabah, will have a major restructuring to ensure it is competitive and able to provide the best services to the people.

Bung said the firm had outlined five key result areas for this transformation: incentive-based regulation starting from January next year, security of supply, customer satisfaction improvement, increased cash flow, and organisational transformation. 

Meanwhile, Sabah Local Government and Housing Minister Datuk Seri Masidi Manjun said the tender on the rubbish collection service in Sandakan is now open to private companies. 

According to him, the contract of the private company that was doing the work ended on April 30 and was not renewed by the Sandakan Municipal Council. 

“All rubbish collection is now being handled by the local government,” he said. 

The Vibes earlier reported waste collection in Sandakan had been crippled after the contract of the waste collection company ended in April. – The Vibes, November 16, 2020