I call for more stringent and regular enforcement to be carried out by relevant authorities in order to address water pollution issue, especially in Tawau district.
The joint operation led by Department of Environment (DOE) and supported by Water Work, Police and Tawau Municipal Council, has identified the suspect who discharged the used lubricant to the drain and subsequently to the Tawau river. The suspect is a middle age man, and has been using his house in Taman Kuhara Jaya, Tawau, which is adjacent to the Tawau river and located at the upstream of Utara Water Plant, as his own private workshop for years.
The DOE officers conducted the investigation, after numerous complaints by the general public, against the frequent water supply disruption, following the Utara Water Plant forced shut down, which was due to the oil contamination in the water source.
I should give DOE a big clap, after they have identified few suspects, not only in Taman Kuhara Jaya, but also Taman King Fook and Amber Park, who had discharged used lubricant, diesel or oil direct to the drain and river.
There are numbers of law related to the water resource protection, especially Sabah Water Resources Enactment 1998, Water Supply Enactment 2003 and others.
In the case of water resources, the Federal Government is responsible for federal works and power including water supply, interstate rivers and canals. State Government is responsible for control over state rivers, riverine fisheries and water supplies and control in the case of any water related matter under agreement among the states and control of silt and riparian rights. Drainage and irrigation issues are within the concurrent list. We have all sorts of law, but what we need now is enforcement and implementation.
The recurrence of forced shut down for Utara Water Plant has indicated that Tawau river is vulnerable to risk for being contaminated. Too many houses, agricultural, commercial and industrial activities are carried out day by day, while the Tawau river flows through a highly-densed populated town.
Tthe long term solution is to construct the water dam in Cinta Mata, extending the Cinta Mata plant, while closing down Utara plant.
I also call for Water Resources Council, to come up with a master plan about the protection of water resources for Tawau district, as various kind of water issues encountered in this year, from drought season low water level, logging activities in water catchment area, to water source pollution.
This is about public interest, not for partisan interest. I demand the BN government to listen to the people.