Kota Kinabalu: Sabah Umno assistant secretary Alfian Sambas claims the State’s water supply situation will have improved significantly had the State Government been receptive to former Sabah Works Minister Datuk Bung Moktar’s proposal to establish the Sabah Water Services Commission.
“This commission was intended to oversee water and sewerage services while enhancing efficiency in managing the state’s long-standing water supply problems,” he said, adding that amending Sabah’s Water Enactment to align with the Water Services Industry Act would also enable the state to receive direct federal assistance.
“The Sabah Water Department (JANS) is the only water utility in Malaysia that still operates as a department, managing its own supply without direct federal support,” he said. “Bung submitted a proposal to the state cabinet, but it was ignored.”
Alfian, in a statement, also questioned the RM300 monthly aid for registered E-Kasih recipients and whether the figures accurately reflect the true number of poor and hardcore poor Sabahans.
“There must also be transparency in the SMJ housing programme and the RM5,000 grants for small traders. How many people had actually benefited?” According to him, SMJ housing projects in several districts have been abandoned but did not name them.
Alfian was responding to a statement by Parti Gagasan Rakyat Sabah (Gagasan Rakyat) supreme council member Datuk Jaffari Walliam, who defended the GRS-PH Plus government and questioned what Bung accomplished when he was the state works.
“The people are not interested in political blame game. They want to see real change. If the government claims to have a plan, then show us the results, not just figures on paper,” he said.
On the delayed Pan Borneo Highway project, he said, even Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim had questioned why the Sabah portion of the project is still lagging behind.
Similarly, he said, water and electricity issues persist despite government announcements of large-scale projects such as the Ulu Padas Dam and new water treatment plants.
“While these projects are in planning or construction, frequent supply disruptions continue. Sabahans need immediate solutions, not vague promises with no clear timeline,” he said.