Longstanding issue: Together with Koo (left), Raub residents Liew Kong (from right), 70, and Sia Chee Hong, 33, also hope the new government would have the political will to resolve the water supply disruptions in the state once and for all.
RAUB: The people in Raub want the new government to resolve the long overdue water supply problem once and for all as they claim the issue has taken way too long to be addressed, despite seeing a change in government in 2018.
Hotel worker K. Devi, 36, who lives at Kampung Baru Sungai Lui, said his family has faced daily water rationing “for decades”.
“Whenever it rains heavily, the water supply at my house and the village will be cut off.
“It has been a norm for us to store water for days like these.
“I have been helping my mum store extra water throughout the years since young. But how long are we supposed to live like this?” he asked.
A retiree, who only wants to be known as Koo, 70, from Kampung Baru Tras, said it was a norm for her and her neighbours to experience water cuts halfway through their cooking.
“We have learned from the best throughout the years.
“That’s why we have to always be ready with extra water storage for our kitchen and bathing needs.
“Raub is in close proximity to several rivers, but our water woes continue to be a nuisance after such a long time,” she said.
There have been reports that the high turbidity of water at the nearby rivers such as Sungai Bilut, Sungai Semantan and Sungai Klau water treatment plants often forced unscheduled water disruptions, which resulted in inconvenience to consumers.
Bustaman Ali, who operates a warung selling roti canai and other breakfast fare in Raub town, also expressed disappointment over the continuous water supply disruptions.
“I often have problems with washing dishes, especially when I do not have enough hands at my stall.
“Sometimes I have no choice but to use disposable cutlery.
“Sometimes my regulars also complain. I know it’s not good but there’s nothing I can do,” he said.
The 50-year-old said he hoped the new leaders would be able to form a stable government and quickly upgrade the water treatment plants.
In 2020, Pahang Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Wan Rosdy Wan Ismail reportedly said the state government aimed to resolve at least 90% of the water problems in the state within five years.
He said the state’s water supply problems were a complex issue that required careful planning, huge budgets and significant time to resolve, but was optimistic that it could be resolved.
Among the state government’s commitment to resolving the water problem, he said, was allocating RM2.3bil for the implementation of 237 projects, of which 77 had been completed, 34 projects under construction, while the rest were still at the design stage.
