SIPITANG: Residents in Sipitang town and nearby villages have been left without water supply for the past two days, prompting calls for the Sabah Water Department to take proactive measures.
A resident, Hamizan, said most locals were anxious and hoping for the immediate restoration of clean water.
“For the past two days, there has been no water supply, forcing restaurant and food stall operators to use bottled water for cooking and preparing hot drinks,” he told Daily Express, Sunday.
He said the situation was unreasonable and had caused financial losses to food vendors.
“Families are also struggling as they have to rely on bottled water for drinking and cooking,” he said, noting that daily routines such as bathing and washing clothes had been disrupted.
“What about mothers who have just given birth and need to bathe their newborns using bottled water?” he asked.
Hamizan also raised concerns for school-going children, particularly from low-income (B40) families, who are finding it difficult to maintain basic hygiene without access to water.
“Those who have water tanks can still manage, but what about those without? How are they supposed to cope with this situation?” he said.
Residents claimed that frequent water disruptions have become a recurring problem in Sipitang and urged the Sabah Water Department to address the issue seriously.
Another villager warned that the ongoing problem would have consequences for the incumbent elected representatives Sindumin assemblyman Datuk Dr Yusof Yacob and Sipitang MP Datuk Matbali Musah and the parties they represent in the 17th State Election.
