Sarawak welfare department readies bottled water supply in case of drought

KUCHING (Aug 12): The Social Welfare Department is now sending bottled water to their forward bases in preparation for possible drought in the state as the dry season sets in, said its acting director Mohamad Guntor Rajaee.

“We have already started sending bottled water supplies to the Miri, Kapit, Bintulu and Limbang divisions. We have also started stocking them at our depository in Kota Samarahan,” he said, adding that the Malaysian Meteorological Department had forecast that the state would experience dry weather until early October.

Mohamad Guntor said his department was focussing on preparations for Miri as it frequently experiences drought.

He said the department’s divisional officers had also been instructed to contact bottled water suppliers for supply.

“For the provision of bottled water to victims of drought in the state, each person will get 36 litres of water a week. The water will also be distributed in big bottles to avoid littering by those who receive the assistance,” he told reporters here.

Welfare, Community Wellbeing, Women, Family and Childhood Development minister Dato Sri Fatimah Abdullah also told reporters that the Public Works Department (PWD) would be sending water to the people in the event of a drought.

She explained that the water sent by the Social Welfare Department was for consumption while the one sent by PWD was for washing and other needs.

“The process of distributing water will also be in cooperation with other government bodies such as the State Disaster Management Committee (divisional level) or other relevant organisation and agencies as well,” said Fatimah.

Fatimah said her ministry has taken the necessary steps to prepare for the drought.

Before speaking to reporters, both Fatimah and Mohamad Guntor were attending the Ministry of Welfare, Community Wellbeing, Women, Family and Childhood Development’s 2019 Outstanding Service Award (APC) presentation ceremony.