Pairin wants to solve Tawau’s water problem

PENAMPANG, Mar 1 (The Borneo Post) -- Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Seri Panglima Joseph Pairin Kitingan wants to get to the bottom of the water problem in Tawau as soon as possible.

The Infrastructure Deve­lop­­ment Minister said he would be meeting with the district Water Depart­ment to discuss the matter, adding it was important to settle the pressing issue in Tawau.

“I was told by my officers that a piece of land has been identified for a proposed water dam, but I am un­aware of its whereabouts. I will be meeting the relevant authorities there as soon as possible,” assured Pairin yesterday.

Speaking to reporters during the Parti Bersatu Sabah Chap Goh Mei celebration at its head­quarters in Dong­gongon here, he said if everything goes well, the ministry would request for an allocation under the Tenth Malaysia Plan (10MP).

The PBS president was responding to the call by Chief Minister Datuk Seri Musa Aman to find an immediate solution, both short and long terms, on the water and electricity shortage in Tawau.

Democratic Action Party’s (DAP) lone state assemblyman from Sri Tanjung, Jimmy Wong, recently took the Water Department to task for failing to resolve the problem, stressing there were frequent power and water disruptions during the Chinese New Year celebration.

Wong disclosed that the government had taken the initiative to build a dam in 1994 by acquiring land in Merotai.

“But today, they are relying on the river to meet daily needs. The river is drying up and it becomes more difficult to pump out water,” he said.

Pairin replied: “I do not know what happened to the proposed dam project but hope to find about it soon. As for the damaged water pumps, they should either be repaired or changed.”

He also urged the Tawau people to preserve their rivers.

“I used to swim in the Tawau River when I was schooling at the Holy Trinity School long ago.

“There were lots of fishes there and the water was clean.

“Over the years, it has become the drain of waste … we will find ways to improve the water quality by building another exit for these waste straight to the sea but it would need lots of money and time,” he said.