Rep: Water supply woes still affect 28 villages in Tasik Biru

KUCHING: There are still 28 villages in Tasik Biru state constituency that are either without treated water supply or receive partial supply.

“Bau is so near to Kuching – yet, the people still cannot enjoy basic utilities. This is something critical that needs real consideration by state leaders so Bau can move forward,” said Tasik Biru assemblyman Henry Harry Jinep in his comments on the budget speech yesterday.

Henry, who opted to raise several concerns not specifically mentioned in the budget speech, reminded the august House about the RM400-million allocation for the laying of new water mains from Batu Kitang treatment plant to enable 20 million litres per day ( MLD) to be delivered to Bau.

“The issue is highly critical due to the increased population in Bau, resulting in high demand for clean treated water supply,” said the assemblyman, who also talked about the Bau Light Industrial Park – approved at RM30.2 million with a proposed size of 50 acres, as mentioned in the previous sitting.

“Through such development, Bau will not be left behind in the state’s industrialisation strategy.”

Henry also called for a fair and proper allocation for the state government’s newly- established Unit for Other Religions, in light of the data from 2010 stating that there were about two million people of other religions in Sarawak.

He also pointed out pockets of under- utilised wetlands in his constituency that could benefit from agriculture projects, specifically paddy, with the help from the state government.

“When the people there have enough rice for their own consumption and for sale in the open market, they would be happy to have food and money at the same time.”