KOTA KINABALU: Federal funds are needed to help the state overcome its water issues, says Sabah Chief Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor.
Clearing the air that the assistance from the federal government might be misconstrued as Putrajaya taking over the management of the state Water Department, Hajiji said the funding would help hasten the process to resolve Sabah's water problems.
In welcoming the Federal Government’s commitment to assist the state in addressing the water supply issue, he said Sabah was working on its own measures to remedy the problem.
“The Sabah government is in the midst of implementing our own plan to address the water woes and, with the Federal Government coming in to provide assistance, we believe the problem can be resolved quickly,” he said in a statement here on Tuesday (May 16).
“The Federal Government is going to assist in the management of the problem by providing more substantial funding, similar to the Kelantan water issue,” he added.
Hajiji said the government viewed the water supply problem in Sabah seriously.
“We will iron out all the issues during the meeting with the Prime Minister (Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim) in order to get a lasting solution,” he added.
On Monday (May 15), some news reports quoting Anwar, had construed that the Federal Government was taking over the water department in Sabah.
Anwar had also said during the Unity Government national convention on Sunday (May 14) that the water woes in Kelantan and Sabah would be resolved by this year.
“The issue of funds, loans or bonds are our problem and shouldn’t be borne by the people. Even if it takes billions, we will find a way to solve it by this year,” he said.
