99 % of Sukau constituency without treated water
SUKAU Assemblyman Saddi Abd Rahman told the House that about 99 per cent of the constituency has not been supplied with treated water since Sabah gained independence in 1963. He said this is despite the fact that Sukau constituency is located near to the water treatment plant in Kinabatangan with daily production capacity 105 million gallons catering for the consumers in the Sandakan township. According to him, water supply to Sandakan town is expected to increase further with the completion of a second water treatment plant at Kampung Segaliud. “Unfortunately, most of the people in Sukau constituency are still being denied of treated water supply,” said Saddi. With an area of 6,000 square kilometers, he said Sukau constituency had the potential for agriculture, livestock, fisheries and tourism development. Saddi said that the lack of treated water supply was among the main reasons why investors avoided the area. He said the constituency is also still lacking adequate electricity supply with 60 per cent of the population there still without electricity supply after 45 years of gaining independence from the Colonial rule. Among the villages still without power supply are Kg Abai, Kg Mumiang, Kg Pitas, Kg Bougon, Kg Tg Aru, Kg Tg Batu, Kg Sipinung, Kg Lubukan, Kg Domondong, Kg Semayan, Kg Tudun Buhagin, Kg Litang and Kampung Tidun located along the coastal areas. “All this while, the residents are relying on generator sets which are inadequate,” said Saddi, who suggested that Sabah Electricity Sdn Bhd (SESB) and the State Government find ways to set up independent power plants (IPPs) using solar energy. He also urged the State Government, in particular the Land and Survey Department, to resolve the land ownership problem of the local residents in the area. Saddi proposed that an integrated approach should be adopted in resolving land application problems involving the Land and Survey Department, Forestry Department, Agriculture Department and the District Office. He said the Government should take immediate steap in surveying the villages located along the Kota Kinabatangan Lahad Datu Road such as Kg Sentiosa Jaya, Kg Perpaduan Datu Ugi, Kg Batu Putib and Kg Paris as the residents have submitted their applications for their areas for a long time now. “The leaders from the Barisan Nasional (BN) have been promising the people during the past two general elections but until now their applications for the village areas have not been processed yet,” Saddi said.
