Vivian To Continue Efforts To Address Water Problems In Sandakan

By Suraidah Roslan

SANDAKAN,  Nov 11 (Bernama) --  Sandakan Member of Parliament Vivian Wong Shir Yee said she will continue efforts to resolve water supply disruptions in Sandakan through close collaboration with the state government to ensure the comfort and well-being of residents.

She said among the issues currently being addressed are unstable water pressure and ageing pipes, some of which are over 30 years old and need to be replaced with new ones.

 Vivian, who was recently announced by DAP as the candidate for the Elopura state seat in the 17th Sabah State Election, said she has frequently raised the matter in Parliament.

“When a pipe bursts, it affects the entire Sandakan, which has a population of about 500,000,” she told Bernama.

According to Vivian, the Sabah State Water Department (JANS) needs to develop a five- or ten-year long-term plan to overcome recurring water supply disruptions and boost investor confidence in Sandakan.

She said the construction of additional pipelines should also be considered to ensure the water supply remains uninterrupted during maintenance or repair work on the main pipeline.

“We don’t want to have to shut off the water supply every time a leak occurs just to carry out repairs. We need a long-term solution,” she said.

Vivian said she was informed by JANS that five large-capacity water tanks will be installed along the route from the Segaliud Water Treatment Plant (LRA) to Sandakan town to strengthen the water distribution system.

Commenting on the recent pipe leak problem at Taman Casa San Uno here, she said repair work had been completed, resolving the water disruption experienced by residents over the past few days.

She added that a study is also being conducted to identify the cause of stagnant water that had affected one of the houses in the residential area.

A resident of the housing estate, Hafiz Jakiri, 35, said the underground pipe leak had been reported to JANS in March 2024, but the location of the leak was only detected and repaired after water supply disruptions occurred in several nearby housing areas, including Taman Mesra, Kampung Sim Sim and Kebun Cina.

“Throughout this year, we kept hearing the sound of running water at night but didn’t know where it came from.

“When the repair work was carried out last Friday, we were shocked to see that sediment from the leak had formed a large hole under the store of our house,” he said.

Hafiz said he had to allow the floor of his store to be demolished to facilitate the pipe repair work that had caused water disruptions in Sandakan.

He said his family now hopes to receive an explanation from JANS regarding compensation for the cost of repairing the demolished floor and clarification on possible safety risks if they continue living in the house.

Hafiz also expressed his gratitude to Vivian for her concern and assistance in voicing the residents’ plight and hoped that JANS would bear the cost of repairing the damaged floor.

-- BERNAMA