KOTA KINABALU: More than 10,000 people from four villages on Pulau Gaya have yet to receive clean water supply said Kota Kinabalu City Hall (DBKK) mayor Datuk Yeo Boon Hai.
“Villagers from the island have aired their disappointment to me as no water is being supplied to them although there is reservoir tank provided.
“A series of meetings have been held and City Hall in last Thursday’s meeting has received another appeal received from villagers to expedite the water supply to them,” he said in a statement today.
Yeo added the first phase of the water pipe installation to the island by the state’s Water Department was completed on Dec 26, 2011. However, the project which was expected to be fully completed by September last year was delayed for another six months.
“This project was funded by the Rural and Regional Development Ministry with an allocation of RM93.003 million but the water (supply) only reached Gaya Island Resort and not the villages as stated in the scope of works.
“This issue has also been raised in 2015 Auditor-General’s Report and tabled in the Public Accounts Committee in the Parliament,” he added.
Meanwhile, the electricity cable project worth RM42 million had been completed on July 31, 2013 with the distribution of supply made available in stages through the Electricity Supply for Rural Area Programme under the same ministry.
However, Yeo added that only some of villagers have access to the electricity supply while others are still hoping to enjoy the basic necessity.