Kota Kinabalu: DAP Sabah Chairman and Senator Phoong Jin Zhe press the Ministry of Energy Transition and Water Transformation (Petra) to explain why just RM17.5 million has been disbursed so far – despite the state grappling with near-daily pipe bursts, prolonged outages and low water pressure that are hitting households, businesses and tourism hard.
He said the revelation that only a fraction of the RM1.14 billion in federal financing approved for Sabah’s water infrastructure has actually reached the state has sparked urgent calls for stronger oversight and immediate action to resolve the worsening crisis of burst pipes and supply disruptions.
“Water disruptions are no longer a minor inconvenience – they have become a daily ordeal for Sabahans, and a stain on our reputation as a safe, reliable destination for investment and visitors,” Phoong said.
“Yet when we look at the numbers: out of RM1.14 billion approved between 2024 and 2026 for eight critical water projects, barely 1.5 per cent has been released.
This is unacceptable when our ageing pipelines are failing right before our eyes.”Reacting to Phoong’s inquiry, Deputy Minister Dato Sri Abdul Rahman confirmed that Sabah has 110.4 kilometres of critical ageing pipelines needing replacement, costing an estimated RM99.35 million.
A further RM258 million has been allocated under the Non-Revenue Water (NRW) programme to cut losses from leaks.
The Deputy Minister also confirmed that a RM1 billion special allocation announced by the Prime Minister for Sabah’s water improvements is still being worked out on implementation details, while three major projects serving Kota Kinabalu, Penampang and Putatan – worth a combined RM614.9 million – are at various stages from planning to procurement, with completion dates stretching as far as 2030.
Phoong acknowledged that water supply falls under state jurisdiction, but argued that federal funding comes with a clear responsibility to ensure transparency, accountability and timely delivery.
“National figures mean nothing if we do not see how much actually comes to Sabah, how it is spent, and when our people will feel the difference,” he stressed.
“We welcome the commitment of funds – but commitments are worthless without action. The disbursement rate is far too slow, and timelines stretching out four years or more are not acceptable when we are facing a crisis today.”Phoong called on the Federal Government to: Release approved funds in line with verified project progress without unnecessary delay; Establish clear, regular monitoring of implementation by the Sabah Government and implementing agencies; Provide a detailed breakdown of how much of the RM1 billion special allocation will be directed at replacing ageing pipes and reducing water loss; Shorten project timelines where possible to deliver relief to residents sooner.“I will keep raising this issue in the Senate until we see real, visible progress,” Phoong pledged.
“Sabahans deserve reliable water supply, and they deserve to know that every ringgit allocated for their benefit is being used properly and delivered on time.”
