Hot weather worsens water, power cuts in Labuan

LABUAN - The current hot weather is making the unscheduled water and power disruptions on this duty-free island even worse.

Labuan folks are crying foul over the prolonged water and power disruptions, appealing to the government to come up with an effective solution.

Water and power disruptions are taking place on a weekly basis, and angry folks continue venting their anger on social media.

"After facing difficulties with the weekly water and power disruptions, this island, which is being surrounded by sea, is now worsening, and sweltering under a record-breaking heatwave.

"No water supply, no power supply, and now we have to be grounded at our own home because of the extreme heat," said a 43-year-old local, Rosli Bahrum.

This island is experiencing hot weather, recording a temperature as high as 38 degrees Celsius (as of 1.30 pm today).

The Malaysian Meteorological Department (MetMalaysia) expects the current hot weather to last until May before eventually subsiding by June.

Labuan is currently undergoing power supply rationing since the end of last month with several villages having power supply cuts for a few hours on a daily basis.

A Sabah Electricity Sdn Bhd spokesman said the rationing exercise is due to the lack of generation capacity in the power grid in Labuan and Sabah.

"For today, at least two feeders involving several villages are facing power supply rationing for one to three hours.

"We cannot confirm when the rationing exercise will end as this has been classified as a national crisis," he said to Bernama today.

The areas affected by power supply rationing are Kampung Bukit Kalam, Sekolah Kebangsaan Bukit Kalam, Kampung Pulau Akar, Taman Lazenda 6, Perumahan Perbadanan Labuan (PL), Pam JBA Bukit Kuda, and Perumahan Kastam Bukit Kuda.

Other affected areas are Kampung Bukit Kuda, JS Sport Centre, Labuan Vocational College, Kampung Lajau, Lazenda Villa 5 and its surroundings.

In a public statement yesterday, Labuan Water Supply Division said the IPS Bukit Kalam water pump is malfunctioning as it has been affected by the power supply rationing, and that it is unable to pump out water to the balancing tank in Bukit Besar.

More than 20 villages and several residential areas are expected to experience water disruptions when the water level at the balancing tank subsides, which is expected today.

The areas include Kiamsam involving Kampung Bebuloh, Kampung Belukut, Kampung Sungai Buton, Kampung Sungai Bedaun, Taman Mahkota Impian at Jalan Bukit Timbalai, Kampung Layangan, Kampung Sungai Labu, Kampung Kilan, Kampung Bukit Kuda, and Kampung Bukit Kalam in Layangan.

Also affected are Kampung Durian Tunjong, several areas in Jalan Penghulu Tuah, Kampung Lajau, Kampung Ganggarak, Kampung Merinding, Kampung Pohon Batu, Pancur Hitam, Kampung Batu Manikar, Tanjung Kubong, Lubok Temiang and Pohon Batu. - BERNAMA