KOTA KINABALU: Environmentalists are asking political parties and their candidates in the state’s upcoming polls for a clear and workable solution to Sabah’s flood woes, water and energy issues.
Sabah Environmental Protection Association president Alexander Yee (pic) said in a statement Saturday (Nov 1) that voters deserve to know where candidates stand on the environmental and public service crisis.
“The September floods and landslides that killed 13 people were not just a natural disaster — it was a wake-up call,”
“These tragedies are not isolated events — they reflect a pattern of environmental mismanagement, weak infrastructure, and lack of foresight in addressing the impacts of climate change,” Yee said.
He stated that communities across Sabah also continue to experience frequent water shortages
“Sabah’s forests, catchment areas, and water sources must be protected from pollution and illegal encroachment,” he said, adding that there was a need to upgrade ageing water infrastructure, urgently repair leakages and ensure equitable, reliable access to clean water.
Early warning systems and community-level disaster preparedness must also be a priority, he said.
Yee said the association also hopes that power supply reliability would be improved through the modernisation of the power grid and reduced dependence on single-source energy, adding that there must be transparency in power outage management and the establishment of emergency backup power for essential services.
To further these issues, the association will be hosting a public forum titled “Water: What’s Our Next Move?” on Nov 9 from 2.00pm to 5.00pm at Kinabalu Daya Hotel, Kota Kinabalu.
The event would feature analysis by climatologist Datuk Dr Ramzah Dambul, former Sabah Water Department director Datuk Dr Amarjit Singh, senior engineer Vincent Tan and environmental consultant Sam Tsen.
