Sandakan water supply so bad funeral rites being affected, claims Sekong rep

Alias showing a photo of Sandakan residents carrying pails of water into their home for a funeral rite of washing the deceased’s remains.

KOTA KINABALU: A Sabah assemblyman says that the water supply problem in the Sandakan district is so bad that even funeral rites are being affected.

Alias Sani (Warisan-Sekong) said he came across a case where some people in Batu Sapi had to carry in water from outside their house because there was no supply.

"It never crossed my mind that in the 55 years of being alive that I would see a situation when the washing of the remains of a deceased person could not be done because there was no water.

"This did actually happen," Alias said – without specifying when the incident occurred – when debating the motion of thanks on the state government policy speech delivered by the Head of State on Tuesday (May 23).

He also showed a photo of the people carrying pails of water.

Besides dry taps, Alias said Sandakan residents have also had to deal with the salty water issue for the past six months.

He expressed disappointment that there was no speedy resolution being done to remedy the situation.