MIRI: Underground pipelines will have to be relocated to prevent any recurrence of pipe bursts like what happened on June 10 and June 16 here.
“The pipelines must be relocated and a new alignment must be done before contractors of the No. 11 work package of the Pan Borneo Highway proceed with the work,” said Utilities and Telecommunications Minister Datuk Julaihi Narawi on Monday.
He said this after visiting the site at Mile 7 Jalan Miri-Bintulu where the 1,100 mm pipeline had burst twice on June 10 and June 16 leaving 65,000 water consumers here with dry taps for four days.
“We will not compromise, these pipelines must be relocated outside the alignment (of the Pan Borneo Highway),” he told local media here.
The Pan Borneo Highway work package No.11 stretches about 80km.
Julahi said he has instructed his officers to engage with Pan Borneo Highway officials to resolve the matter immediately.
He also called for the setting up of maintenance unit by LAKU Management Sdn Bhd and Sarawak Rural Water Supply Department (JBALB) to monitor pipeline conditions.
Water supply to Miri city has resumed gradually since late Sunday following the completion of repair work on the burst pipe.
Also present at the press conference were Minister of Transport Datuk Sri Lee Kim Shin, Deputy Minister for Utilities and Telecommunication (Utilities) Datuk Dr Abdul Rahman Junaidi, Deputy Minister of Women, Childhood and Community Well-being Development Datuk Rosey Yunus, Miri Mayor Adam Yii and LAKU chairman Datuk Nelson Balang Rining.
