Build water pump station at UMS: Parti Kerjasama Anak Negeri
Published on: Wednesday, June 04, 2025
Published on: Wed, Jun 04, 2025
By: Nikko Fabian Text Size: Terrence and Nicholas. Kota Kinabalu: Parti Kerjasama Anak Negeri (PKAN) deputy president Terrence Tsen said the ongoing water crisis at Universiti Malaysia Sabah (UMS), is an 'embarrassment' to the state government, particularly the relevant Ministry. He said water supply falls under the purview of the Sabah Water Department, an agency within the Sabah Ministry of Works. He lamented the government's reliance on temporary measures such as water tankers and the construction of water tanks, calling them insufficient to address the chronic problem and proposed the construction of a dedicated water pump station at UMS to ensure a consistent and adequate water supply. Terrence pointed to the high rate of Non-Revenue Water (NRW) in Sabah – currently at 56 per cent – as a likely contributing factor to the UMS water shortage. He suggested that illegal water connections by squatters in areas surrounding the university are significantly impacting water pressure. Terrence questioned the Sabah Water Department's actions to address these illegal connections and urged immediate investigations and enforcement. He also emphasised the link between the pervasive water problems and the large number of undocumented settlements on the outskirts of Kota Kinabalu, stating that the inaction of the Department in addressing illegal water tapping in these areas is highly suspicious. 'The significant financial losses incurred by the state government due to NRW were also highlighted, emphasising the urgency of the situation.' Meanwhile, Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) called for full transparency from all parties involved. Its Publicity Chief Nicholas Ban said the prolonged disruption has severely affected the lives of students and staff, and questioned the lack of proactive measures by the university management. 'While we acknowledge the intervention of Sarawak Premier Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg in bringing attention to the matter, we must also ask why UMS has not taken immediate steps to lessen the impact of the crisis,' he said in a statement. Among the questions raised by Nicholas were whether there had been a delay in alerting the relevant authorities, if contingency measures such as deploying water tankers were activated, and whether proper monitoring systems were in place for early detection of supply issues. He also urged the to clarify its protocols, including whether they were informed in time and if standard procedures – such as tanker deployment and minimum storage level maintenance – were followed. 'This crisis has caused unnecessary hardship, with students forced to buy water just for basic hygiene. It is unacceptable that a national higher education institution is left so vulnerable,' he said. * Follow us on our official WhatsApp channel and Telegram for breaking news alerts and key updates! * Do you have access to the Daily Express e-paper and online exclusive news? Check out subscription plans available.
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