TANJUNG MANIS: Urban Planning, Land Administration and Environment Assistant Minister Datuk Len Talif Salleh has refuted a statement by Works Minister Baru Bian that the people in the district have not benefited from the over RM1 billion piped water project here.
He also described Baru’s proposed use of underground water as a source of clean and treated water for the people in Tanjung Manis as impractical as such alternative had been used by the state government for the past 30 years.
In fact, according to Len, the government even had to resort to getting water from Bakong in Sarikei as the underground water source was insufficient to cater to the development in Tanjung Manis.
“Unfortunately, many of the existing pipelines to supply the water from Bakong are already too old and experiencing leakages. In view of this, the state government has decided to channel the water supply from the Rajang River in Sibu.
“The project will have immense long-term impact as the state government realises the increasing demand within the next five years,” he said at the launching of Belawai Beach Carnival by Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Tun Openg.
Len, who is also Kuala Rajang assemblyman, said the state government was serious in addressing the water shortage issue in Tanjung Manis including Kampung Belawai.
Baru said studies on the viability of processing underground water into clean, treated water for the people in Tanjong Manis were now being carried out.
The study, he added was meant to find suitable places for clean water from underground sources.
“The PKR people are always good in talking. They are not even able to resolve the water issues in Selangor, let alone to tackle the problem in Belawai,” Len lamented.
On the carnival, hosted by the Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) in Belawai and Sarikei, the assistant minister said it had received an overwhelming response from the locals as more than 15,000 people, including youths, attended it.
The good response indirectly rejected the assumptions by PKR national vice president Ali Biju that the area, especially Tanjung Manis, was likely witness a political change in the next state election, he pointed out.
