KOTA KINABALU: Basri Jawab has an apartment in Taman Puncak Manggatal near here, where he lives with his wife and three children.
He has a steady job as a building executive.
But with the water supply crisis in Sabah, his daily life has been disrupted.
“Because of the water problem, I have to ‘mengemis’ (beg) for water from my neighbours or anyone who is kind enough to spare us some,” said the 43-year-old.
“Many residents at my apartment feel the same; why do we have to beg for water when that is the most basic thing, especially for a place with city status?
“It is frustrating and infuriating,” he added.
The water crisis has ruined his Ramadan, and now Basri is dreading how his Hari Raya celebrations will be.
“Water is so precious. We only cook simple meals for sahur (pre-dawn meals) and buka puasa (the breaking of fast) so that we do not have to wash many plates and utensils and can save up the water for showering and doing the laundry. Even so, the water we have is not enough,” he said.
Basri said the family is looking forward to Hari Raya but is worried about not getting enough water during the festive season.
“At the rate it is going now, we have conceded that there will not be any,” he added.
He said the water supply issue, especially in his residential area, has gone from bad to worse over the last four years.
Currently, he said, the neighbourhood, located in the Sepanggar parliamentary constituency, gets water supply from 5am to 7pm daily, but it is insufficient for all households at the nine apartment blocks.
“Sometimes, there will be no water for two to three days.
“We have to buy bottled water. But how much longer should we endure this?” he asked.
The water supply problem has worsened over the years, with people taking their frustrations to social media almost on a daily basis.
Residents in parts of Sabah, particularly the state capital, have voiced their displeasure numerous times.
These include residents at Kampung Suang Parai, which is also located within the Sepanggar constituency. They have appealed many times to the authorities and the state government to resolve the issue.
Basri claims they tried to meet with the Sabah Water Department in 2020, but to no avail.
He said it was ironic that water supply had remained a problem for Sabah as there had been announcements by the state government about billions of ringgit coming into the state through foreign and local investments.
“What is the real problem behind this issue that is causing us a lot of misery?” he asked.
On April 1, Sabah Deputy Chief Minister (III) Datuk Shahelmey Yahya said there were no quick fixes for the water woes and that the people, particularly those in the west coast area, would have to bear with water disruptions until the two proposed dam projects are completed.
Shahelmey, who is also the state Works Minister, said the feasibility studies for the Papar Dam, about 40km southwest of the state capital, and Ulu Tomani in interior Sabah are being carried out.
He said the completion of the Telibong 2 water treatment plant in Tamparuli, about 40km north of here, would somewhat ease the water shortage.
The authorities have also previously blamed water thefts for the dry taps and low water pressure.
Shahelmey had said that the current mitigation measures include water rationing and the distribution of water by tankers.
