KOTA KINABALU: The opposition is just playing up baseless water issues to rile up the people against the government, Deputy Chief Minister III Datuk Shahelmey Yahya said.

The state Works Minister said that the opposition was ignoring government actions taken to resolve the long-standing water woes and made baseless accusations to turn people's opinions against the state government.

"We have been acting to resolve the water problems in the state," Shahelmey said, adding that the opposition knew very well that many of the problems were long-standing.

"The opposition is just inciting, they don't know or ignore the real facts. They are aware that this water problem is not a problem that happened today but has been going on for years.

"However, the government today is still trying to implement infrastructure improvements for the people and working on solving these problems," he said after opening the annual general meeting of the Putatan Farmers' Association near here Saturday (July 6).

He said the Emergency Water Supply Scheme project at the Kasigui Water Treatment Plant in Penampang expected to be completed in April next year would help elevate water problems in the district.

Shahelmey said the project will generate up to five million litres per day (MLD) that would benefit more than 20,000 residents.

"We hope that from April next year, the water problem in Putatan can be alleviated.

"Even now, the Sabah State Water Department is working to increase the water pressure in Putatan, in addition to Kota Kinabalu, Tuaran and Papar," he added.

The Deputy Chief Minister III said that the Ketiau and Lok Kawi Baharu areas are among those that often face water supply disruptions in Putatan at the moment, so rationing has to be done.

He explained that with the completion of the water treatment project in the Kasigui, coupled with the implementation of the Phase Two Kogopon LRA in Papar with a capacity of 40 MLD scheduled for completion in 2026, the water supply in the southern Putatan and northern Papar areas are expected to be stabilised.

https://www.thestar.com.my/news/nation/2024/07/06/opposition-stirring-up-water-issues-ignoring-govt-efforts-to-solve-it-says-shahelmey