KOTA KINABALU: The Public Accounts Committee (PAC) is set to finalise its report and provide crucial recommendations on water management and rural water supply issues in East Malaysia.
Its chairman Datuk Wira Mas Ermieyati Samsudin said this will be based on testimonies and site visits carried out in Sabah and Sarawak.
She said the effort was part of PAC’s commitment to ensure the timely completion of major water projects in both states, which is crucial to addressing water supply issues for the people.
Following a recent conclusion of Proceeding No 7(C) of 2024, which focused on National Water Management under the Ministry of Energy Transition and Water Transformation (Petra), the PAC conducted site inspections in Sandakan and Tawau from Sept 29 to Oct 1.
These visits were aimed at assessing problems highlighted in the National Audit Report.
One of the major projects reviewed was the RM133mil upgrade of Sandakan’s water supply system.
This project, part of the National Water Management initiative, includes the construction of new water pipes and five storage tanks.
All five tanks have been completed and are now awaiting testing and handover from the contractor.
In contrast, the RM37mil Rural Water Supply Project under the Regional and Rural Development Ministry (KKDW) faced significant setbacks.
The project, serving Kampung Jaya Bakti, Kampung Memanjang and nearby areas, was delayed by 356 days, missing its original completion date of Sept 9, 2017, and only completed on Nov 13, 2018.
“The delay was caused by damage to critical components such as the pump system, electro-chlorination system and sludge processing equipment at the Jaya Bakti Water Treatment Plant (WTP),” said Mas Ermieyati in a statement on Wednesday (Oct 2).
Ongoing challenges with the Rural Water Supply Project include frequent leaks in the pipeline from the Segaliud WTP to Kampung Lalasun due to its location near a flooded drainage area.
Moreover, she said the Bukit Garam WTP in Kinabatangan, which provides water to Kampung Semawang, has struggled with an unstable electricity supply, relying on a generator that frequently breaks down.
“We acknowledge the efforts made by Petra, KKDW and relevant state agencies to address these issues and push for the projects’ completion to benefit the local communities,” added Mas Ermieyati.
Among those who attended the PAC proceedings were Petra’s secretary-general Datuk Mad Zaidi Mohd Karli, KKDW deputy secretary-general (development) Mohd Kamal Hussin and Sabah Water Department director Suhaimi Asbullah.
