Villagers still waiting for water after 8 years By Abdul Hakim Bujang
SRI AMAN: Residents of Pulau Seduku resettlement scheme near here remain bewildered as to why they are still facing water woes, despite the presence of a giant tank with a capacity of one million litres right at their village.
According to Pulau Seduku headman Mohammad Salleh Jon, the villagers have been depending on rainwater for their daily needs over the past eight years.
“We have been living here for the past eight years, and have been waiting patiently for the giant water tank to function. Sadly, the water tank has become nothing but an eyesore, despite the repeated promises from the Rural Water Supply Department (JBALB),” he told thesundaypost.
Mohammad Salleh, 48, also said the villagers attended a dialogue recently to discuss the issue, but nothing concrete had come out from it.
“I have suggested to the deputy Sri Aman Resident to allow us to fence up the (compound around the) water tank, and permit us to rear swiftlets underneath it – at least, that way the tank could bring economic benefits to the people here,” he pointed out.
Mohammad Salleh, who was down with fever when met, appealed to the state leadership to help the Pulau Seduku folk as the dry weather would be coming very soon.
“We are living on rainwater collected in our own water tanks; when there is no rain, water becomes scarce,” he lamented.
Mohammad Salleh believed that the water problem would become much more challenging this year as the primary school, SK Pulau Seduku, had been relocated to a site next to his village.
“Please have mercy on our children,” he appealed.
It is learned that Kampung Stumbin, located next to Pulau Seduku resettlement, also has a large water tank that is functional – although not all the time.
“At least the villagers there do get some water supply – unlike us,” said Mohammad Salleh.
It is also believed that the giant tank at Pulau Seduku needs a booster pump to run in the water meant for distribution.
Meanwhile, JBALB issued a media statement on Saturday in response to The Borneo Post’s front page article on Saturday, which highlighted the villagers in Pusa digging up road to source for water.
The department said upon inspection, it suspected that there was a leak on the system.
“The immediate solution is to lay a temporary line via the new bridge (Tandang Sari) to bring enough water supply to Kampung Pusa Seberang urgently and abandon the submarine main (under Sungai Rimbas),” JBALB said, adding that the project tender would be called next week.
It is said that the project would cost RM12 million.
“This is the long-term solution to the water problem. (In the meantime) sufficient water tankers are being arranged for the affected consumers,” it said.
It is learnt that the villagers on the other side of Sungai Rimbas do not experience much problem as they are connected with the state water supply grid.