KOTA KINABALU: The Sabah Water Department (JANS) has been urged to take drastic action to deal with the water crisis that has gone on for a long time in Sepanggar.

Sepanggar MP Parliament Mustapha Sakmud, who is also Deputy Human Resources Minister, said that the Telibong Dua Water Treatment Plant project in Tuaran needed to be completed immediately.

"This is now a crisis. More than 300,000 Sepanggar residents are depending on JANS to solve the problem.

"The Federal Government has stated it is ready to help the state government solve infrastructure and water issues in the state, especially in terms of providing allocations," he said in a statement on Monday (March 27).

On a viral post urging people to gather at the JANS office here, Mustapha urged residents to raise water issues using the correct channel.

He said residents should negotiate with JANS properly and listen to the explanation before staging a demonstration.

A Bernama survey at the JANS office found no gathering had taken place.

Meanwhile, Mustapha said they are waiting for a call for a meeting from the Kota Kinabalu City Hall (DBKK) to find the best way to resolve the issue of squatters in Sepanggar, which was also linked to previous water thefts.

"A new mechanism needs to be found and studied to resolve the issue of squatters in the Sepanggar parliamentary constituency by taking into account the humanitarian aspect without neglecting the interests of the people of Sepanggar in general," he said. – Bernama

https://www.thestar.com.my/news/nation/2023/03/27/drastic-action-needed-to-overcome-sepanggar-water-woes-sabah-water-department-told