A TOTAL institutional restructuring of the Water and Public Works Departments is the only solution to rescue Sabah’s capital from its current state of decay, says Api-Api Assemblyman Loi Kok Liang.
Loi argued that the systemic utility failures plaguing Kota Kinabalu, ranging from dry taps to dark streets, are no longer mere “technical glitches” but evidence of deep-seated administrative incompetence that requires an immediate, top-down overhaul.
With streetlights on major roads and residential zones remaining dark for months, Loi slammed the current “reactive” maintenance culture.
He insisted that the departments must be restructured to prioritise enforcement and proactive management, particularly regarding cable theft.
Loi called for a “scorched earth” policy on copper theft, demanding that a revamped department work in tandem with law enforcement to hunt down the buyers in the supply chain.
“The current lack of urgency is compromising public safety,” he warned, framing the department’s failure as an invitation for criminal activity.
Loi’s call for an overhaul was most pointed when addressing the Water Department’s “deafening silence” during recent crises.
With commercial hubs like KK Plaza, Sinsuran and Jalan Gaya suffering four-day water cuts this month, the assemblyman revealed he had to personally fund bottled water for residents after official pleas for tankers were ignored.
“When a department cannot even fulfill the basic task of sending a water tanker during a crisis, it has breached its social contract,” Loi said.
He proposed a mandatory compensation scheme, arguing that if the government-led departments cannot manage resources effectively, they must be held financially liable for the costs borne by the public.
Loi linked the failing infrastructure, including the recurring sewage overflows in tourist hotspots like Kg Air and Jalan Pantai, to a broader loss of dignity for the state capital.
He noted the absurdity of promoting Sabah to the world while raw sewage lines the streets of its most popular districts.
Loi said that the time for “patchwork repairs” is over.
He issued a final warning to the state administration: the people of Kota Kinabalu will no longer tolerate “third-class infrastructure” while paying “first-class taxes.”
The only way forward, he insisted, is a complete administrative purge and overhaul of the Water and Public Works departments to restore the city’s functional integrity.
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