Sabah approves RM833mil supplementary budget, focus on water woes

KOTA KINABALU: The Sabah state legislative assembly on Tuesday (Aug 8) approved an additional RM833mil to cover expenses for the final quarter of this year.

Finance Minister Datuk Seri Masidi Manjun, in tabling the supplementary Supply Bill (2023), said this included RM139.09mil, or 16.69%, which was allocated to remedy the state’s water woes.

“The water supply problem faced by almost all of the state is getting critical and needs urgent solution. Hence, these estimates for additional expenditure will focus on operational expenses mainly to deal with water issues,” he said.

More than 10 assemblymen from both sides of the political divide including Sabah Opposition leader and Parti Warisan president Datuk Seri Mohd Shafie Apdal took part in the debate over the Bill, with all agreeing that the Sabah water crisis needs to be immediately addressed.

Shafie, who is Senallang assemblyman, said that the whole focus should be on delivering water to the ordinary folk.

He said that tourism hot spots must have water readily available, adding the Tawau airport also did not have water when he was there previously.

Datuk Frankie Poon (DAP-Karamunting) said not only did Sandakan residents had to face saline water supply in in the east coast district but they had also been constantly burdened with water rationing.

Justin Wong (DAP-Sri Tanjung) said the government should provide allocations to compensate consumers who have purchased water from private companies at high prices.

“Water is the government’s responsibility but yet the people were forced to buy water (from private companies) because the Water Department was not able to supply water to them,” he said.

Alias Sani (Warisan-Sekong) said the water supply situation has grown worse in the state to the extent that it affected operations at the Likas Women and Children’s Hospital here.

He said students at Universiti Malaysia Sabah (UMS) were given assurance that the water problem at the campus would be resolved after the Prime Minister announced a RM3mil allocation to address the issue.

“They are still facing the problem. I have confirmed this myself with the staff and students at UMS,” said Alias.

“In December 2021, Sabah had to borrow RM500mil from the Federal Government to manage the water supply in the state.But until now, I can’t accept why the sum of money still could not resolve the dilemma,” he added.

Meanwhile, Masidi said the additional supplementary estimates for 2023 consisted of two aspects, one that involved cash flow of RM431.7mil, which constituted 52% of the total amount, and non-cash flow amounting to RM401.3mil.

The biggest additional cash flow allocation involved RM272.88mil that was meant to cover expenses under the Treasury General Services, he said.

He said RM138.54mil was allocated for other operational expenses which also include the State Government Scholarship Sponsorship Programme amounting to RM46mil.