Sabah thinking of supplying ‘prepaid water’ to squatters

 

Sabah deputy chief minister Bung Moktar Radin said if water was supplied to squatter areas using the prepaid system, residents would no longer need to break pipes to steal water.

KOTA KINABALU: Sabah may introduce a prepaid system to supply water to squatter settlements to address the rampant water theft in the state, said deputy chief minister Bung Moktar Radin.

Bung, who is also state works minister, said he had proposed for the state water department, which comes under his ministry, to introduce the same system which is to be implemented by Sabah Electricity Sdn Bhd (SESB).

SESB chief executive officer Abdul Nasser Abdul Wahid said last year that prepaid meters for power supply would be introduced in areas with squatter settlements to resolve illegal connection issues.

Bung said employing the same method could help resolve the problem of water theft.

“If we can supply water to squatter areas, there will be no more excuses for the residents there to break our pipes and steal water,” he told reporters after an event here today.

“This way, we can also reduce the loss of non-revenue water in the state.

“Otherwise, it won’t be sustainable for the state water department, business wise, as 60% (of revenue) is lost (due to water theft).”

Bung was earlier asked if the state government was considering heavier penalties for water and power thieves.

He said the water department had conducted a series of operations to remove illegal water connections.

He noted that it would be “dicey” for the government to brush aside squatter areas by not supplying basic amenities like water.

He said these squatter colonies also housed Malaysians.

“The prepaid system is a way for us to overcome this issue,” he said. - FMT