By Dayangku Hidayatul
KUCHING, Aug 26: Operations in areas under the Kuching Water Board (KWB) and Sibu Water Board (SWB) will continue as usual, as the two entities, along with LAKU Management Sdn Bhd (LAKU), merged to form Sarawak Water Sdn Bhd—a single State-owned water supply entity under SFS Incorporated.
According to Minister for Utility and Telecommunication Dato Sri Julaihi Narawi, this followed town hall sessions with the employees of the three entities, where 97.12 per cent or 1,214 staff joined Sarawak Water, and the remaining 2.88 per cent (34 staff) opted to remain in the Sarawak civil service.
He said this during the launch of Sarawak Water at the Borneo Convention Centre Kuching (BCCK) here today, which was attended by Premier Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg.
The proposal to establish a single entity was to strengthen the water supply management system in Sarawak, covering organisational structure, asset management, financial sustainability, and customer satisfaction.
The entity was formally incorporated on December 26, 2024, when LAKU was rebranded Sarawak Water to serve as the vehicle for merging the three water agencies.
“The journey towards establishing Sarawak Water began in 2020, when a comprehensive study was conducted to assess the feasibility of merging all existing water supply entities into one,” he said.
The merger officially took effect on Aug 1, 2025, with Sarawak Water assuming the role as the State’s water supply company while KWB and SWB were dissolved.
Despite this, operations in the KWB and SWB areas continue as usual, and all staff were offered positions in the new company. Julaihi also added that the Rural Water Supply Department (JBALB) will remain responsible for managing the water supply in Sarawak’s rural areas.
To ensure smooth integration, town hall sessions were conducted in July this year involving KWB, SWB, and LAKU staff, and a steering committee was formed, led by the Ministry of Utility and Telecommunication, the Sarawak Secretary, Sarawak State Attorney-General, State Financial Secretary, and other senior officials, to scrutinise the study.
“The committee conducted visits to several agencies, such as the National Water Services Commission (SPAN), Syarikat Air Negeri Sembilan Sdn Bhd (SAINS), and Perth (Western Australia), and participated in various international conferences to benchmark water supply operations management to ensure the integration can be carried out smoothly and effectively.
“Therefore, we feel that the management of the steering committee is important for making reports to be discussed in the committee’s meetings,” he added. — DayakDaily
