Amendments to water commission law nothing to Labuanites if no water: Anifah
Published on: Wednesday, November 29, 2023
Come to Labuan and see for yourself the island's woes, says the Labuan Corporation Chairman. (Supplied pic)
Kota Kinabalu: Amendments to the National Water Services Commission Act 2006 “mean nothing” to the people of Labuan if this important resource is not available readily on the island, said Senator Tan Sri Anifah Aman at Dewan Negara on Tuesday.
He said water pipes had not been properly maintained or repaired for the past three to four decades due to a lack of funds, leading to constant water cuts.
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Anifah, who is also the Labuan Corporation Chairman, said these water cuts make it difficult to attract investors to the island.
“We briefed three Fortune 500 companies but we could not hide the fact that we have problems with our power and water supply. So they told me ‘thank you very much’ and left.
“How are we to develop Labuan when there is no basic infrastructure?. It is difficult to attract investors due to constant water cuts on the island,” he said when debating the amendment bill.
The bill, which seeks to streamline governance and strengthen the integrity of the National Water Services Commission (SPAN), was passed in the lower house in October.
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Anifah, a former foreign minister, also recalled a “shameful” incident when he invited some Koreans to Labuan to play golf.
“And after the game, they couldn’t take a bath because there was no water. We had to buy bottles of mineral water so they could have a bath,” he said.
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As such, he said the debate on the amendment meant little unless Natural Resources, Environment and Climate Change Minister Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad flew to Labuan himself to experience first hand the inconvenience the people on the island had to put up with.
“Come to Labuan and see how they suffer. If we only raise the matter in the Dewan Negara but it is not felt by government leaders, then it is of little significance.”
Anifah said he was grateful the Prime Minister had allocated RM1.1 billion to address water supply problems in Sabah, Labuan and Kelantan, saying it was “light at the end of the tunnel”, but added that implementation was just as important.
“But there are still those who are wondering: ‘Is this for real?,” he said.
Soon after that, Dewan Negara Speaker Datuk Seri Wan Junaidi bin Tuanku Jaafar has asked the Minister of Natural Resources, Environment and Climate Change Nik Nazmi bin Nik Ahmad to response to Anifah’s debate on the critical water problem in FT Labuan.
Nazmi told the House of Senate that the Prime Minister (PM) will be coming to FT Labuan next month but he (Nazmi) couldn’t come along as he is representing the PM in another function.
However, personally, he said he will go to FT Labuan to see for himself the real water and power situation.
“PM has raised the interest of critical water woes in FT Labuan in the Federal Cabinet and hence, he has approved a package of projects worth RM1.1 billion to resolve water woes in Labuan, Sabah and Kelantan.
“Other than that, there are three new immediate projects worth RM60.5 million that have been approved in the 4th Rolling Plan of the 12th Malaysia Plan to enhance water supply services and resolve water supply woes in Labuan.
“Among them are allocating RM50 million for the installation of water pipes to increase water distribution capacity in the Arshad area, developing a billing system for water supply division in Labuan involving a cost of RM8 million, and maintaining and repairing water supply for next year at a cost of RM2.5 million,” he said.
Apart from these, Nazmi said there are eight projects that have been approved for FT Labuan under a rolling plan, previously, that will be continued under the fourth Rolling Plan with a funding of RM53 million.
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