(From left) Othman, accompanied by his aide, showing the dry tap at the home of Hanafi. – Photos: IMRAN HILMY/The Star
MORE than 50 families from Kampung Padang Telok in Jerlun, Kedah, have been facing water supply disruptions for about four years.
Their taps can only flow at night and the volume of water is not enough to sustain the households.
They have to depend on rainwater and irrigation channels at their padi fields.
Farmer Hanafi Hamid, 64, said the problem worsened over the years, and this has affected the daily lives of the villagers.
“Recently, we had to hold a funeral in Taman Delima, about 10km from our village, because of the water problem,” he said when met at his house.
Hanafi hopes the authorities will help the villagers.
Another villager, Ahmad Jamil Abdullah, 51, said that over the past month, sometimes there was no water at all.
“The water authority will send a lorry to provide supply to us once or twice a week. But this is not enough for all our needs.
“Sometimes, I will not shower for two days to save water for my children to use.
“I take a bath when there is rain, and other times, I bathe in the irrigation channel.
“However, this water is neither clean nor safe for children,” said Ahmad Jamil.
Housewife Sabariah Osman, 53, said her husband had to buy bottles of mineral water every day for drinking, cooking and cleaning.
Barisan Nasional candidate for the Jerlun parliamentary seat, Datuk Othman Aziz said the water problems in Jerlun affected more than 700 residents from 30 villagers in the constituency.
“The population in Jerlun has increased and the people need good and clean water supply.
“It is sad to hear of their predicament and it is even sadder when we realise that this is 2022 when we should not have this type of problem anymore,” he said.
Othman urged the relevant authorities such as Rural Development Ministry and the Kedah government to think of a way to solve the problem in both the short and long terms.
He vowed to solve the villagers’ water woes if elected as Jerlun MP in the 15th General Election.
Jerlun, a small fishing village on the northern side of the state, is shaping up to be one of the hottest seats in GE15.
Datuk Seri Mukhriz Mahathir, 58, will be defending the seat he won twice, first under Barisan in 2008 and again in 2018 for Pakatan Harapan.
This time around, Mukhriz will represent Pejuang, the new party of which he is the president.
Standing in his path is Othman, 63, who will be out to avenge his loss to Mukhriz in 2018.
Also in the fray are Pakatan candidate Dr Mohamed Fadzil Mohd Ali, 48, and Dr Abd Ghani Ahmad, 51, from Perikatan Nasional-PAS.
(From left) Othman, accompanied by his aide, showing the dry tap at the home of Hanafi. – Photos: IMRAN HILMY/The Star
Ahmad Jamil says a lorry comes once or twice a week to supply water but that is not enough.
Sabariah says her husband has to buy bottled water every day.
