Expedite new dam project – CM
KOTA KINABALU: Sabah Chief Minister Datuk Seri Mohd Shafie Apdal has directed the State Infrastructure Development Ministry to expedite the construction of the new Sabah dam project to ensure sufficient supply of water in the west coast areas.
He said the construction of the new dam was necessary as a long term measure to address water woes plaguing the west coast including the Kota Kinabalu, Papar, Penampang, Inanam and Tuaran areas.
“The state government will look into ways to ensure water supply in Kota Kinabalu and the nearby areas is always sufficient and I have also urged Infrastructure Development Minister Datuk Peter Anthony to speed up works on the new dam,” he told reporters here yesterday. The comments came following difficulties faced by the Sabah Fire and Rescue Department when putting out a fire at Kampung Pasir Putih, Putatan, near here, as the firefighters were hindered by the low pressure fire hydrants.
In the fire which occurred at about 12.30 pm on Friday, 55 squatter homes in the village were destroyed leaving 315 villagers from 74 families homeless.
Mohd Shafie added that it was important to have the new dam as water supply was needed to carry out development works and to cater to the daily needs of the people in the state.
As such he said, the local communities should give their cooperation and accept the construction of the new dam project openly without any protests.