Kundasang not neglected, only underdeveloped

Kundasang's BN rep admitted that his constituents did not have treated piped water suppy, despite years of voting BN to power.

KOTA KINABALU: Embarassed Kundasang assemblyman Joachim Gunsalam has denied allegations that the Barisan Nasional government had neglected his constituency.

Gunsalam, who was responding to complaints from villagers in the area about the lack of treated water, electricity and roads despite years of being under BN administration, said the area was “still underdeveloped but certainly not neglected”.

He said treated piped water supply did not exist in the area, much like in other parts of rural Sabah.

“I do agree that the area mentioned is still in need of much development. But the government in the past and present has provided them basic amenities such as gravity water supply in most if not all of the kampungs.

“But some are not working 100% due to many reasons such as insufficient supply of water as well as broken pipes,” he said.

He claimed that the District Office had tried to implement a RM200,000 water gravity project in Kg Mampakot, Malinsou sometime in 2009 but the Village Security and Development Committee (JKKK) chairman rejected it.

The villagers, he said, had insisted on more allocations but “it was simply not available at that time”.

Funds diverted

The allocation was instead diverted to implement gravity water supply to two other kampungs – Kg Paka and kg Kilanas Ulu Sugut – also within the Kundasang constituency.

“Presently, the state government through the State Water Department is doing studies especially for clean water supplies to Mukim Malinsou and this hopefully can be implemented during the 10th Malaysia Plan together with Mukim Timbua,” he said.

Last Thursday FMT quoted villagers who claimed that kampungs such as Melinsau, Timbua, Kaingaran and Karagasan still did not have treated piped water supply, electricity or a tarred road, despite promises by several elected BN representatives in the past.

One community leader from Kampung Melinsau, alleged that even the solar power facilities given by the government about 10 years ago had broken down and not replaced.

Gunsalam said the government was doing its best to supply electricity to these areas and there was no discriminatory practices.

He said the current supply of electricity was not enough to cover the whole of the present Mukim.

He said two years ago a trial run for the “Bekalan Letrik alternatif Luar Bandar” (Alternative Power Supply for Rural Areas) scheme in Kg Mangkapo 1 and 2 had failed due to ‘problems’. Both vilagers comprised a predominatly Christian community.

Gunsalam did not elaborate on the ‘problems’.

Upgrading roads

Addressing the solar power, he said the government had stopped recommending it “because of the inability to maintain the batteries provided.”

“We have approached a few experts and they have been surveying the various kampungs to find out what is best and to try and provide electricity by the end of 2012,” he said.

He also touched on the quality of roads in the area.

Gunsalam said the upgrading of the roads in the area was presently being done from Kg Bongkud to Kg Monggis.

The road will go on to join the road to Kota Marudu and will be one of the main roads linking lower Kundasang to the town of Ranau.

“The government is also in the process of upgrading the road from Malinsou to Kaingaran during this 10th Malaysia Plan (one of the few NKRA projects).”

The Rural Development Ministry is in the process of implementing the Mini Estet Sahjetera (MESEG) schee in Kg Mansalu (also within Kundasang constituency).

He added that private bodies have also been in direct contact with the local community to help develop their land through joint ventures. - FMT