Residents of the park took a clean water supply from a static tank provided by the Labuan Water Supply Department (JBA) when found at the Sungai Bedaun Housing Estate today.
KOTA KINABALU: About 600 residents of the Seri Indah flats in Sepanggar, near here, have asked the Sabah State Water Department (JANS) to act immediately in overcoming the problem of clean water supply facing them which has been going on for the past six months.
The residents who live in the four-storey flats also voiced their feelings of stress due to the interruption of clean water supply, in addition to being upset that no proactive measures were taken by the authorities to resolve the problem despite many complaints.
A resident, Osman Awang, 65, who is also a government pensioner, said the residents had to go up and down the stairs to lift water as the flats in question did not have lift facilities, and the situation was even more dire that some had to pay the cost of buying mineral water for daily use.
“Imagine what our life is like when the average population here is B40 and very poor. Some share the money to buy water. I myself have two disabled people (OKU) at home who need intensive care and need a lot of water.
“Even the fire hydrant has no water at all. If there is a disaster (fire) here, how are we going to get water? Therefore, I request the authorities to come and see our situation here and then solve this problem,” he told reporters here today .
Another resident, Noraina Robin, 23, who is also a mother of two, said the interruption of clean water supply also affected the lives of her family and affected her source of income as a cake seller, in addition to having to spend to buy water and tissues for daily use.
“There is no water at all. I am depressed because everyone has to use money to buy water and other necessities. My husband works as a mechanic and my income is uncertain. My cake sales are also affected. If before I could get RM100 a day but now it is only RM40,” she said. .
For Dougin Kurun, 48, the current water supply disruption problem is the worst he has ever experienced since living in the flat.
“I have lived here since the 2000s. This is the first time there has been a water supply interruption for six months. Before there were (water problems) but not as bad as what we are experiencing now. I am very tired. After returning from work, continue to lift water to house on the fourth floor.
“(Before) I paid the water bill every month, but now, if a bill comes who wants to pay because there is no water. So, I hope the authorities act quickly to overcome this problem so that the water supply can be distributed as usual,”.
Meanwhile, Sepanggar Community Member Hafizul Andie, who donated mineral water as an initiative to help the residents of the flats in question, hopes that more non-governmental organizations (NGOs) will come forward to channel the same assistance to the residents involved to ease the burden they bear.
