Project to discover clean water supply in Pitas

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Adham (fourth from right) testing the water supply at the Kampung Sapatalang Community Hall.

KOTA KINABALU (Nov 22): Universiti Malaysia Sabah (UMS) and Yayasan Inovasi Malaysia (YIM) have collaborated in an innovation project to discover clean water supply in Pitas.

The project involved 100 villagers from Kampung Sapatalang Pitas.

YIM Chief Executive Officer Sharmila Mohamed Salleh said they appointed UMS as a strategic collaboration partner to implement the project which started on February 1 to July 31 this year with an allocation of RM60,000.

She said the working visit to Kampung Sapatalang, Pitas started on September 23, 2020 where YIM invited UMS as one of its strategic partners for the Community Development and Innovation Program in Sabah.
Sharmila said the visit provided an opportunity for YIM and UMS to identify issues faced by the community in the village and the surrounding neighborhoods.

“As an agency focused on grassroots innovation and B40, YIM strives to improve living standards and quality of life through the use of technology and the development of social innovation.

“The implementation of this innovation project can help the B40 and M40 groups in facing the effects of Covid-19 besides improving the quality of life, productivity and help them obtain clean water sources for survival,” said Sharmila.

UMS Vice Chancellor Prof Datuk ChM Ts Dr Taufiq Yap Yun Hin said YIM and UMS have identified the main problem for the residents there and that is clean water sources.

He said the project team led by UMS researchers, Prof Dr Jidon Adrian Janaun has helped the surrounding community of Kampung Sapatalang who faced problems with basic facilities and infrastructure such as clean water supply by using the innovation of the main water source from the springs in the village.

“All this time, the community depended on rainwater as well as rivers and streams that are located far from their houses for water supply,” said Dr Taufiq.

According to him, facilities have been provided in the spring catchment area, namely filters and water storage tanks. The clean water innovation project is also housed in the community hall which is a multi -purpose hall for the use of local residents.

Sabah receives the most funding for innovation projects from YIM, which are 32 projects worth RM5 million until 2020.

The handing over ceremony of the project was officiated by Science, Technology and Innovation Minister Datuk Seri Dr Adham Baba on Sunday.

Adham said the Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation is committed to developing clean water supply initiatives using innovative technologies for the benefit of the people, notably in rural areas, including in Pitas.

He said the effort was aimed at strengthening the use of technology so that problems in the community could be resolved sustainably towards improving the quality and well-being of rural folks in an inclusive manner in line with the spirit of the Malaysian Family.

Taking the example of the clean water supply-based innovation research project in Kampung Sapatalang, Pitas, Dr Adham said YIM would work with UMS in realising the project for the benefit of the villagers.

“YIM and UMS have identified the problem of clean water supply faced by villagers due to the source of water being often clogged. This project involves innovation in engineering and social technology to benefit the village community,” he said in a statement on Monday.

The implementation of this grassroots project, which was carried out for five months, helps the local community obtain clean water resources and indirectly increase productivity and improve quality of life.

To ensure a continuous supply of clean water, the project is to improve the water filtration system, besides upgrading the water supply system from springs, namely groundwater and storage tanks in the catchment area.