24 illegal water connections near UMS dismantled

Sabah deputy chief minister Shahelmey Yahya says the illegal water connections were found near Kampung Suang Parai in the vicinity of University Malaysia Sabah in Kota Kinabalu. (Facebook pic)

PETALING JAYA: The Sabah water department has dismantled 24 illegal connections to a main water transmission line near University Malaysia Sabah (UMS), which affected the university’s water supply.

Sabah deputy chief minister Shahelmey Yahya said the illegal water connections were found near Kampung Suang Parai in Sepanggar, Kota Kinabalu.

He said this had affected the volume of water being supplied to the main reservoir at UMS, Bernama reported.

It is understood that Kampung Suang Parai is home to a settlement of squatters.

“The department sent its officers to dismantle the illegal connections this afternoon and will monitor the situation until the vendor scheme is fully in place in the identified areas,” Shahelmey, who is also the state works minister, was quoted as saying.

The vendor scheme, aimed at stabilising water supply in Kota Kinabalu, will see water supplied to squatter areas under the control and monitoring of the state water department.

In January, UMS board of directors chairman Abdul Rahman Dahlan said there were about 12,000 squatter homes near the university and were believed to have contributed to its water problems.

The Sabah government loses about 18 million litres of water a day because of illegal connections to water lines.

About 80 UMS students held a protest on Friday afternoon over the university’s water supply issues, before dispersing from Menara Kinabalu on Saturday morning after failing to hand over a memorandum to chief minister Hajiji Noor.