PITAS: Yayasan Petronas, in collaboration with Pemasa, a Sabah-based non-governmental organisation, continues its efforts to improve the quality of life of rural communities in Sabah through a clean water supply project benefiting five remote villages in Pitas.
The project, which commenced in December 2024, was undertaken to provide communities with reliable access to clean and safe water through the installation of an alternative clean water supply system that is practical, easy to operate and safe for community use.
The initiative benefits more than 700 residents from 135 households across Kampung Ampungoi, Kampung Mangkapon, Kampung Narandang Laut, Kampung Pungiton Polod and Kampung Timboi Dagang.
The villages are located about 25km from Pitas town and 195km from Kota Kinabalu city centre.
Yayasan Petronas Chief Executive Officer Shariah Nelly Francis said access to clean water was a basic necessity that should be within reach of everyone, regardless of where they lived.
“We remain focused on working with local organisations such as Pemasa in delivering solutions that address the specific needs of communities while strengthening their resilience for the long term,” she added.
To commemorate the completion of the water supply system, a handover ceremony was held at Kampung Narandang Laut and attended by Sabah Assistant Minister of Works and Utilities Dato’ Sri Dr Ruddy Awah.
“We welcome and appreciate this meaningful contribution by Yayasan Petronas and Pemasa, which will greatly ease the burden faced by villagers in accessing clean water.
“We hope this project will bring lasting benefits to the residents by improving their daily living conditions and enabling them to focus on activities that contribute to their wellbeing and livelihoods,” said Ruddy, who is also the Pitas Assemblyman.
The initiative is designed to provide reliable access to clean water for the five villages and supply up to 10,000 litres of clean water daily to the communities.
Beyond infrastructure, Pemasa also conducted community engagement and awareness sessions to promote proper use and maintenance of the facilities.
The initiative included the installation of water pumps and storage tanks across the participating villages to ensure the system could be operated safely and practically by the communities.
Pemasa Chairman Patrick Ginduh said community participation had been a key component of the project.
“By actively engaging the villagers throughout the implementation process, we hope to instil a greater sense of ownership and responsibility towards maintaining the facilities.
“Ultimately, our goal is to help improve the quality of life of the residents and make everyday tasks such as collecting and storing water much easier and more convenient for their families,” he added.
