KOTA KINABALU: Close to RM100 million has been spent by the federal government to build a submarine pipeline to supply water to Gaya Island and yet the villagers there had yet to benefit from regular water supply, said Public Accounts Committee (PAC) chairman Datuk Seri Hasan Arifin.
“We found that close to RM100 million has been allocated by the federal government through the Ministry of Rural and Regional Development to build a submarine pipeline from Kingfisher Park to Gaya Island according to the findings from a PAC proceedings recently.
“From our investigation, we noted the infrastructure has not been utilized fully,” he said during a site inspection on the water supply at Gaya Island here yesterday.
Accompanying him were State Water Department director Willis Ansoi, and Putatan member of parliament Datuk Dr Marcus Mojigoh.
Hasan said PAC had suggested a few proposals for the State Water Department to follow up on.
“We have proposed for a cluster of water tanks to be built in a few villages here, such as in Kampung Pulau Gaya Asal, Kampung Pulau Gaya Kesuapan and Kampung Pulau Gaya Lok Urai, which the state government has accepted and done so.
“If possible, we propose to have the clusters of water tanks to supply water directly to homes. This depends on the State Water Department to formulate a system to supply water directly to the villagers,” he said.
Hasan added the federal government’s allocation for the water supply project did include funding for water supply connections to individual homes, but the installation was put on hold pending the state government’s decision.
It is learned that the clusters of water tanks installed in the villages are still empty although the main pipes and main tank are already in place. Only the schools and police station on the island have regular water supply.
Asked when the villagers could get piped water supply, Willis said the department had yet to decide on a rate for the water supply.
“We will have another meeting to decide on the water rates,” he said.
Nonetheless, Willis said a committee had been formed under the State Economic Planning Unit (EPU) on this issue and would table its decision to the State Cabinet.
Around 12,000 villagers at Kampung Pulau Gaya Asal, Kampung Gaya Pulau Gaya, Kampung Pulau Gaya Kesuapan and Kampung Pulau Gaya Lok Urai are presently relying on well water or buying water supply from Kota Kinabalu mainland.
Kandi Abdullah, 63, a government retiree living at Kampung Pulau Gaya Asal, said the water supply from mainland is sold at RM7 for a 200-litre drum or RM55 for a 1,400-litre tank (equivalent to seven drums).
Kandi buys seven drums of water every two days for the 17 children and grandchildren who stay with him, which translates to a cost of around RM150 weekly for clean water supply.
Meanwhile, Mojigoh urged the authority to provide water supply from house to house, adding that the allocation from the federal government was sufficient for the installation of water pipes to individual homes.
“The problem of electricity supply has already been solved. So why can’t the issue of vital water supply be resolved?” he asked.
He said the villagers on Gaya Island were fishermen and earning little income, who either had to buy water or get water from a well.
“During the drought season, the wells will be dried up.”
Hence, he urged the relevant authority to connect water supply to the individual homes.