KUCHING, Oct 17: Since January 2023, the residents of Lorong 2 Jalan Semaba have been grappling with frequent water shortages, primarily due to recurring water pipe bursts over the past two to three years.
Michael Kong, who is a special assistant to Stampin MP Chong Chieng Jen said to exacerbate matters, water pipe bursts occurred four times since last Friday evening (Oct 13), causing residents to experience water supply disruptions.
“Regrettably, as of today, this matter remains unresolved, forcing residents to rely on mobile water tankers. This situation is wholly unacceptable!” said Kong in a statement today.
He asserted it is high time that Kuching Water Board (KWB) and the Ministry of Utility and Telecommunication shift their focus towards pressing water supply issues in Kuching.
“Furthermore, it has come to my attention that, despite the installation of new pipes at Lorong 2 Jalan Semaba, residents are still receiving water from the old pipes.
“The reason behind this issue is that their respective water meters have not been successfully migrated to the new pipe system,” said Kong.
He said during a meeting with KWB in July 2023, he was assured that this migration process would be completed by August 2023. However, the fact that this issue persists suggests a significant delay in the execution of this promise.
He added that he had discussed this with representatives from KWB to raise this issue and has urged them to take immediate action to address the concerns faced by the residents of Lorong 2 Jalan Semaba.
Simultaneously, he called upon the Ministry of Utility and Telecommunications to redirect its attention towards resolving water issues plaguing the people of Kuching.
He said that while the Sarawak government has invested significant efforts into other utilities such as electricity and telecommunications, it is imperative that it not neglect the critical role that water utility plays in the daily lives of the people. — DayakDaily
