RM1 bln set aside for State Water Grid – CM

KUCHING: The State Cabinet has decided to set aside RM1 billion for a water supply system called ‘State Water Grid’ to supply villages and longhouses across the state with regular treated water.

Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Tun Openg said this project, which is to stretch from Batang Ai to Tanjung Manis, will be implemented in the next two years.

“We have decided to improve our water supply system especially in the rural areas where we will connect villages and longhouses to treated water supply through our dams.

“We have four dams, which are Batang Ai, Bakun, Murum, and the upcoming one Baleh. So our water resources will come from these dams.

“We will zone them and by end of this year, I will table a Bill (in the State Legislative Assembly) to include the management of water resources,” he told journalists after opening Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu (PBB) Zone 4 meeting at the Islamic Complex Hall here yesterday.

Abang Johari, who is state Barisan Nasional (BN) chairman and PBB president, said the state government would also work on the mapping of infrastructure on irrigation.

According to him, the State Water Grid system is meant not just for human consumption, but also the development of the agriculture industry.

He noted that the current lack of water supply in many parts of the rural areas throughout Sarawak had led to slow progress in the development of the agriculture sector.

“It is for consumers, people who need water. And it is also for agriculture purposes. So we need to have the supply of water and we have to have a drastic approach on this.

“It will require a big spending but I have a model to finance this project. It is RM1 billion for the first phase,” he added.

Abang Johari disclosed that the state government had already appointed a consultant to conduct studies on the proposed project.

“And then we will implement it in two years. This is the first phase, after which we will continue up to the northern part of Sarawak.

“This project needs a lot of studies and infrastructure. We cannot have an ad hoc development for water supply. What KKLW (Ministry of Rural and Regional Development) has is ad hoc, which is as and when.

“This cannot work because our agriculture sector needs a lot of water. Which is to say we must have a very regular supply of water,” he said.

He admitted it is ironic that rural areas in the state are yet to be provided with regular water supply while “we got a lot of water”.

“So myself and my colleagues in the cabinet say we have to change the situation. We have our own bank (Development Bank of Sarawak - DBoS) and we will do the financial arrangement,” he said.

He added that the State Water Grid is meant for Sarawakians and the state’s economy.

In his speech earlier, Abang Johari said: “Our people, especially those in rural areas such as Sadong Jaya and Simunjan, should have regular water supply. We can no longer wait for KKLW to give us the money. So I announce RM1 billion for our State Water Grid.”

As the Chief Minister of Sarawak, he said he also saw red upon learning that many rural folks still did not enjoy treated water supply.

“Now that I’m the chief minister, I can do it for the people. We use DBoS to finance the project. Our money is for the people and not for personal use. “We cannot depend on the federal ministry anymore; we have to look for our own ways to develop our state,” he added.

At the function, PBB Zone 4 had a simple cake-cutting ceremony to mark Abang Johari’s first anniversary as the sixth Chief Minister of Sarawak.