KOTA KINABALU:. The people of Papar and Penampang got a big slap in the face when the Chief Minister, Shafie Apdal, chose to go to Papar to announce that the hated Papar/Kaiduan dam will proceed. It is also a humiliation to all the elected assemblywomen, the Senator and the Warisan MP Datuk Darell Leiking. It follows that the people of Papar and Penampang will punish Warisan and its allies in the coming state elections.
It is also a declaration that Warisan is willing to forgo the Limbahau, Moyog, Kapayan and Kawang state seats in order to reap other benefits.
Warisan leaders like Shafie and t Minister, Datuk Peter Anthony, had tried to justify the dam by saying that Sabah needs more water supply. The hasty way behind the scenes to approve the Papar dam without any Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) and the appointment of a China contractor linked to the controversial RM6.3 billion Penang undersea tunnel are shocking behaviour of a government.
How is it that the earlier cost of RM2 billion for the Papar dam has been inflated to RM3 billion? How is the government going to pay for this dam? Who will be the recipients of these RM3 billion? There are important questions that the Warisan government has refused to answer.
As for water supply, it is a known fact that the rate of NRW (Non-Revenue Water) is 50%. This means that almost 50% of water is lost in the water delivery system such as broken pipes and faulty pumps. This means that 50% of the water to be produced by the Papar dam will be lost due to broken pipes and faulty pumps.
Yet, the Sabah government has allocated a meagre RM7.90 million for NRW in 2020. Instead, if the government is genuine to supply water, at least RM300 million per year must be allocated to reduce NRW until we have reached the international standards of about 20%. If we do not invest in NRW reduction, then, more of our water will be wasted due to NRW.
Why is the Warisan government making the Kaiduan/Papar Dam their first choice of water supply?-
Edward Dagul
Local born resident, Kampung Nagapas
Deputy President, SAPP
