SANDAKAN: Government should reassess its spending priorities and redirect major funding towards resolving Sandakan’s long-standing water supply crisis, instead of allocating RM11.8 million to upgrade toilets at the Kota Kinabalu International Airport (KKIA).
Warisan Assemblyman for Karamunting (N54), Alex TK Wong was responding to the Malaysian Airports' recent announcement that RM11.8 million would be allocated in two phases for the upgrading of toilet facilities at KKIA.
While acknowledging that airports, as key gateways to the state, deserve proper maintenance and upgrades, he stressed that public funds must be used prudently and directed towards the most urgent needs of the people.
Malaysia Airports Holdings Berhad (MAHB) is a government-linked company (GLC) that operates and manages most of Malaysia’s airports including KKIA.
According to Wong, Sandakan has been plagued by water supply problems for many years, severely affecting residents’ daily lives, business operations, and public health.
He said frequent water disruptions and low water pressure have forced residents to store water, increasing household burdens and raising hygiene and sanitation risks.
He pointed out that the RM11.8 million allocated for the KKIA toilet upgrade would be sufficient to fund at least two borehole (tube well) projects in Sandakan.
Based on preliminary estimates, the construction of a single underground water borehole costs approximately RM5 million.
With an allocation of around RM10 million, two boreholes could be developed to ease water shortages in several affected areas and significantly improve the quality of life for thousands of residents.
“This is not an impossible project, but a practical and feasible solution that can be implemented in stages,” Wong said.
He emphasised that water supply is a basic essential service that should not be sidelined in favour of upgrading other physical facilities.
Development, he added, should not be concentrated solely in the state capital or selected areas while long-standing problems faced by residents in other towns continue to be neglected.
Wong also criticised the prolonged failure of the Sabah State Government to resolve Sandakan’s water supply issues, which has resulted in residents repeatedly enduring disruptions without a comprehensive solution.
He called on the government and relevant agencies to review the existing water supply system and long-term planning to ensure that large-scale development projects progress in tandem with improvements to basic infrastructure.
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