Kota Kinabalu: Clarity, accountability and urgent action on water and utility issues must take precedence over rhetoric in the 2026 Sabah Budget, said the Warisan Assemblyman for Sungai Sibuga.
Debating the Budget, Lisa Hassan Alban said residents in Sungai Sibuga continued to raise persistent complaints involving water supply disruptions, electricity outages, blocked drains, unsafe roads and poorly-lit streets.
“I am only a messenger. The people are consistent, they are persistent and, more importantly, they are hopeful,” she said.
While welcoming the restructuring and renaming of several ministries — including the establishment of the Ministry of Works and Utilities — Lisa questioned whether the changes were backed by realistic and transparent allocations.
“The rakyat deserve clarity. This Dewan deserves transparency,” she said, after noting that she was unable to find clear cost estimates for the rebranding exercise, including new signage, uniforms and administrative materials.
She also expressed concern over what she described as questionable figures under the Ministry’s expenditure, pointing out that some listed allocations appeared unrealistically low.
“Is this realistic, or are the real costs hidden under other provisions?” she asked.
Lisa devoted much of her speech to the long-standing water crisis affecting Kampung Tinusa II, a densely populated water village with more than 10,000 residents, where households have waited years for reliable clean water despite existing pipelines.
“There is water infrastructure, but pressure is so low that it does not reach homes at the far end. Some residents have been waiting for six years,” she said.
She warned that illegal pipe tapping and water theft had worsened the situation, stressing that water access was not a political issue but a basic human right.
“Water is human freedom. Water theft is our shared problem,” she said.
Lisa questioned whether current manpower levels at the Water Department were sufficient to address enforcement and maintenance challenges, and whether existing institutions such as the Sabah Water Resources Council were being empowered effectively.
She also highlighted the impact of water shortages on vulnerable residents, including those with chronic illnesses who require clean water for wound care and daily medical needs.
Beyond utilities, Lisa raised concerns over unplanned urban growth in Kampung Tinusa II, warning that failure to intervene would entrench traffic congestion, safety risks and long-term planning problems.
“If this continues without intelligent intervention, these problems will not be solved in five years — not even in 50,” she said.
On the Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63), Lisa said she was disappointed that the issue was not meaningfully reflected in the current budget, noting that Sabah could learn from Sarawak’s approach in institutionalising MA63 through a dedicated unit.
“Whatever we have done over the last five years has clearly not worked. Sarawak’s success is real because MA63 is empowered at the institutional level,” she said.
