Warisan Mulls Legal Action Over Exorbitant Water Prices In Sabah

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Several Warisan leaders are mulling a lawsuit against Sabah Water Department and the state government for alleged financial loss incurred by the public from purchasing water at a higher tariff.
Warisan vice president Junz Wong said the group will also file a complaint with the MACC on the matter.
He was referring to an alleged trend of private tankers selling water at inflated prices during water cuts in the state.
"If these companies continue to enjoy making unreasonable profits from consumers, the rakyat will suffer greatly because it will force operational costs to surge and prices of goods to rise further.
“It’s the government's responsibility to ensure there is enough water supply available and should bear the extra cost when people have to buy from private companies during supply disruptions.
"Warisan leaders will lodge a report with the MACC to investigate why these companies are allowed to charge at such high rates,” Wong said in a statement.
The statement was also signed by assemblypersons Calvin Chong (Elopura) and Justin Wong (Sri Tanjung).
Yesterday, Kota Kinabalu Warisan division secretary Loi Kok Liang alleged that the Sabah Women and Children Hospital in Likas had spent RM145,000 to purchase water from a private water supply company during a 23-day water disruption period in June.
Following a visit to the hospital, Sabah State Community Development and People's Wellbeing Minister James Ratib said a special committee will be established to address water and electricity supply issues in the state.
In response, Wong questioned why companies were exploiting the dire situation of frequent supply disruptions by selling treated water at a higher rate.
Sabah State Community Development and People's Wellbeing Minister James Ratib (far right) during a site visit."Why is it that these private companies are allowed to sell water at a higher rate in a situation when there is no supply?
“It's bad enough there is no water for the hospital but they rub salt into the wound by charging more than the normal tariff.
"This leads me to ask if the water department, which already has a poor track record of mismanagement, is in cahoots with these companies?" he asked.
Wong said the Sabah Water Supply Enactment 2003 allowed the Sabah Water Department to issue licences to undertake water supply distribution, however, the tariffs can only be set by the department.
He further claimed that similar cases were also occurring in other parts of Sabah such as Kota Kinabalu, Tawau and Sandakan.
"Residents of a condominium in Kota Kinabalu have been buying water from a private company at 10 times the price charged by the Sabah Water Department for at least two months.
“It can range from RM1.14 to RM11.40 per cubic metre.
"Another case is the Lok Kawi Light Industrial Park in Kinarut which has been buying water at a price of RM30 per cubic metre when it is only RM1.60 per cubic metre from the water department,” he said.
Elopura assemblyperson Calvin ChongOn that note, Chong alleged that a private company in Sandakan was selling water at a cost of RM900 per tanker truck - or some 3,000 litres to several residential areas from as recent as two days ago.
“This was after the district had been hit with water disruptions for nine days as a result of faulty water pumps at the Segaliud Water Treatment Plant.
“Similarly, in Tawau, water was being sold at the price of RM600 per tanker by a private company yesterday,” he said.
Wong claimed that a private company had reached out to a personnel at the Tawau Hospital yesterday, on the second day of a water supply cut.
He alleged that the water company had offered the personnel RM600 per tanker, questioning if it was sanctioning the company.
“If the Sabah Water Department has no water supply, then how is this company able to have water to sell?" he questioned, adding that the water department should provide an explanation. - Mkini

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