Investigate Sabah's water supply management leakage - Shafie

KOTA KINABALU - Sabah Opposition leader Datuk Seri Mohd Shafie Apdal expressed his concern if there is a leak in the water supply management including the allocations channeled to the state government.

The Senallang assemblyman demanded an in-depth investigation into the issue of selling water by private tankers that supply water to consumers in the state.

"We know that the expenditure is hundreds of millions, but the problem in terms of water management, as we have found is the water department still depends on private sectors to supply water to the community.

"We are disappointed in regards to the administrative management, not only the departments, but also water supply material management. For example, there is not enough water supply here and there, but certain companies can get water supply.

"Where do they get the water from? it's definitely not from the existing concession suppliers because the people can't buy water, so it also means that there needs to be an in-depth investigation into this matter so that we can see if the leakage is not just in terms of the money being channelled," he said.

Shafie said this at a press conference after attending the Sabah state assembly session on Tuesday.

Sinar had previously reported that Warisan had requested an investigation by the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) regarding an alleged embezzlement related to water supply in the state.

The allegation involved a water sale to a third party forcing residents to obtain a supply of treated water at a very high price.

Meanwhile, speaking about the 2023 Supplementary Supply Bill that was presented, Shafie informed that the issue of water supply was one of the matters that received attention.

"After listening and researching, there is an additional budget increase from RM600 million to RM800 million and I had also asked about the water problem which is the main problem because it is the only interest of the general public in this state.

"But I heard the Finance Minister saying that the RM320 million allocation promised by the federal government has not yet been channelled.

"It's just that the federal government had proposed to use Sabah government's fund first and this is also what we see that it is in the form of a loan instead of a grant," he said.

Meanwhile, when asked if he planned to meet with the Prime Minister to speed up the process for the distribution of the allocation Shafie asked to let the state government handle it.

"I remember that for the state government, they have a foundation. Even if the state government, the Chief Minister asked, it was difficult, imagine an ordinary assemblyman even the Opposition leader.

"But I will bring it up when I meet the Prime Minister later," he said.