Jimmy Wong Weblog

Water problems – speedup decision March 7, 2009

The government need to speedup its decision making and ends the unending water problem in the district. The government should not dilly-dally anymore and any proposals by consultants to improve the water supply system in the district that had already been submitted and only waiting for decision should be speedup.

I have learned that water disruption and problems could be caused by breakdown of pumps, burst pipes, water thefts and today I found out that flash flood could block the intake bypass, and all these leads to inconvenience to the people when there is no water supply reaching their area.

I am sure proposals by consultants have already been submitted and only waiting for answers from the decision maker.

The public called me even until past midnight, and some are angry as the situations still persist after all these years.

I don’t want to hear 9th Malaysian Plan or 10th, there are immediate solutions to all this, but decision must be made fast and accurately so people need not have to continue suffering. 

After looking at the problem caused by the flash flood, I suggested a second intake bypass which could be completed in three months.

All this water issues have to be address fast, or else the problems and complaints will go on forever.

Water treatment plant – system need to be upgrade February 18, 2009

The Timatch Sdn Bhd water treatment plant system at Hill Top need to be upgraded in order to improve the water supply in the district. I visited the plant yesterday after receiving complaints from the public regarding water supply since the Chinese New Year. I went to see for myself the situation and also wanted to know what is/are the problem(s). I came with Tawau Water Works Department head Bahrin Antonio and was briefed on the situation by the plant’s manager Au Hing Lam. We were told that two raw water pumps and two treated water pumps failed to function after the shafts broke, but I am happy when told that it had been repaired, but this is for short-term. For long-term, the government together with Timatch should see to it that all the old pumps are changed to new ones and the systems upgraded. Au had informed me it is in the plan. He said this year the water system on overall will see an improvement, but I called the government to do more as the water problems in Tawau is a yearly affair and had never been completely addressed.

Vanishing Water and Water Meters – Setup Commission April 24, 2008

TAWAU:  Water consumers in the district which did not pay for the service rendered by the district’s water department should duly do so as requested by Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Raymond Tan Shu Kiah recently to ensure that the whole district could enjoy a fair share of fresh water.  It is considered very serious that the district faces the lost of around 72 percent of the water produced due to many reasons and all consumers using free water should register their un-registered meter to ensure that Malaysian would not be blamed for water theft.

Based on my calculation, the district water department produces 100 million liters of water per day converting it to 100,000 units at 90 cent per 1,000 units.  This shows that the department can collect RM90,000 per day but the lost of 72 percent of revenue meant that only RM25,200 could be collected while at the same time, suffering an estimate lost of RM64,800 per day.  To further explain the amount lost, the department stands to loss RM23,3280,000 per year in Tawau alone!

In general, three independent fresh water producer firms had been engaged to supply fresh water to the Water department of Sabah and this `saved’ revenue could be used to pay off the three firms amounting to hundreds of millions of Ringgit in arrears.

Datuk Raymond Tan Shu Kiah had also raised the matter of the estimated 33,000 water meter missing and this I believe could be more than stated as the meters could not simply vanish for no reason. Based on investigation, there are cases of water meter installed which are not registered with the Water Department and this is among those mentioned by Datuk Raymond Tan.

It is obvious that lost of water is mainly due to two reasons, one is the lost through illegal connection and the other is through the usage of unregistered water meter connection. Other minor problem face would be the leakages.

This kind of lost is calculated based on Tawau usage and lost but I believe that other areas such as Sandakan or even Semporna to mention a few places also faces such problem and with the same ratio of lost.  Semporna for example is now facing its’ Regatta Lepa-Lepa and many tourists would be staying there but the shortage of water could well discouraged them from ever setting foot there again.

With the speedy work toward closing the lost, the district water consumers could well enjoy a better benefit as the money lost would be converted for better use such as having better water quality and system while ensuring ample water supply to every household or commerce buildings.  I would also like to suggest on the setting up of a special  independent commission comprising of representative from the legal profession,  representative from the consumers’ association,  representative from the opposition party as well as from the Barisan Nasional politician in which I believe Datuk Raymond Tan would be highly suited to represent Barisan Nasional in this commission.  The commission’s duty is to look into the system managed by the department to eradicate lost of fresh water.  The department could also take into account the method used by their counterpart in Sarawak where individual found guilty for stealing water is liable to be jailed and fine.

I like to highlight to Datuk Raymond Tan Shu Kiah that this problem is long overdue as hundreds of millions Ringgit of revenue is lost throughout the years for the whole of Sabah while Sabahan continues to face water shortage as the situation is grave.

It would also be practical to engage the services of foreign professional consultant on water management to assist in countering the problem.

The objective is clear, to ensure that the residents of Tawau and Sabah in general could obtain fresh and quality water on a 24 hours non stop water supply basis.

Water shortage – Minister’s frequent visit, most welcome April 8, 2008

I welcome the statement by Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Raymond Tan Shu Kiah to made frequent Tawau to oversee the water problem which continues to exist.  As the State Assemblyman for Sri Tanjong, I feel that it is only appropriate that this matter receive his highest attention as this problem has brought much suffering to the general public despite the continuation of assurances given in respect to the solving of the water woe in the past.

It is to my opinion that Tan should stay here longer to look for himself such as whether the two plants had actually produced over 100 Million litres per day to cater for the need of the whole population while he could participate in frequent dialogue session with the general public and listen for himself the hardship faced.

The norm problems acknowledged are water theft and loss of fresh water through broken piping but I would also like to provide my opinion on two other matters which could well contribute toward the failure of an affective delivery of water.

The first is the question on whether the Water Department had made full payment for the service of TIMATCH which produce fresh water for Water Department?

There has been rumour that the Water Department had failed in some way to made prompt payment to TIMATCH or other privatised water producer entities for Sabah causing limited water to be supplied for distribution.  Is this true?

If this matter is true, it is therefore the main priority of the state government to settle the payment to avoid such interruption taking place.

The second question is there could be work of Water Department employers to sell fresh water for quick cash.

Has the Ministry conducted such investigation over this matter as this too contribute toward the lost of water which could be explained.

Another matter which might require the attention of the minister is the possibility of revamping the whole structures and personnel of the Water Department’s management system as it has been deemed a long time as unfriendly and ineffective toward consumers.

It is also important for the government to study on the constant fee charged to consumers on bills which at times were outstanding for over ten years.  It is to my opinion that a cut off period should be given to consumers where they can avoid paying bills over three years and thus improve the management of the department. 

It is highly questionable for consumers over being forced to pay outstanding bills despite the department’s effort throughout the years to up-date their billing system.

The state government must put full effort in addressing the matter seriously and put to end the misery faced and this could be well heard through frequent dialogue sessions.

It is my hope and the hope of all residents of Tawau for the government to find a rapid solution pertaining to the water crisis faced as the dilemma has never ceased until today.

Click thumbnail to read news.

Illegal water theft – be serious April 3, 2008

Genuine customers with accounts in the Water Department should not be punished when they lapse on their water bill. Cutting their water supply to force them to pay is not fair. This treatment is not fair to genuine customers, while those who made connection illegally never paid and never punished and nothing to fear of having their illegal water supply cut.

We must get serious on this issue, stop cutting genuine consumers water, but chase after the water thefts, solved it, stop it first, then comeback to the genuine customers. Click on thumbnail to read news clip.