Water from fire hydrant to avoid traffic, protect lives – PAS MP

PAS MP Siti Zailah Mohd Yusoff said she mooted an easier and safer way to get water supply for the people to avoid road congestions, which could also endanger lives.

The Rantau Panjang lawmaker said the residents in her constituency were facing water supply shortages for days, prompting her to urge Air Kelantan Sdn Bhd (AKSB) to provide water to affected parties.

“So, when we wanted to send water to the residents recently – about a week before Raya – the transport lorry got caught up on a congested road.

“It was dangerous because the lorries are big and heavy.

“That is why Kak Lah discussed with AKSB, with the firefighters, on how we want (to do this) so that we do not disrupt the roads and the people.

“AKSB then suggested for us to use the fire hydrants because Kelantan is different from other states,” she explained via a TikTok today.

The video was published by the Kelantan Information and Communications Department (UPKN).

Elaborating on the situation, Siti Zailah said in other states, the pipelines used by firefighters are separate from the ones used to supply water to the public.

But for Kelantan, she added, the pipelines providing water to the community and used by the Fire and Rescue Department are the same.

“Fire hydrant pipes and the AKSB water have the same access, so actually, the fire hydrant does not have its own water supply.

“Water that goes through the fire hydrant, used to (extinguish) fires (or) in emergencies, is AKSB’s water,” she mentioned.

Authorities launched an investigation against Siti Zailah after she was found taking water from a fire hydrant to distribute to the residents facing water supply issues in Rantau Panjang.

The matter drew the attention of the Local Government Development Ministry after Siti Zailah uploaded pictures on social media of herself during the water distribution process at the fire hydrant.

Siti Zailah, a former deputy minister, claimed that she had received permission from AKSB to deliver clean water supply to local residents, with the cooperation of the Kelantan Fire and Rescue Department.

However, the Kelantan Fire and Rescue Department had since denied giving permission to Siti Zailah to do so.

Local Government Development Minister Nga Kor Ming has also called on Siti Zailah to apologise for using water from a fire hydrant.

Siti Zailah said she had met with the relevant Kelantan exco and AKSB before taking water from the fire hydrant.

“Alhamdullilah, we got the water from the AKSB water supply but to save time, we took water from a nearby fire hydrant,” she said.

She added that firefighters had come forward to facilitate the process because it was not easy to access water from the fire hydrant.

Asserting that “there is no issue” with the process, the PAS central committee member emphasised that all local residents knew there was no question of stealing water.

“If Kak Lah wants to steal, it is not Kak Lah stealing for Kak Lah, but we (are getting) the water for the people in need,” she said.