SANDAKAN: Resolving Sandakan’s chronic water crisis demands an immediate three-pronged strategy: a comprehensive overhaul of aging infrastructure, the appointment of professional leadership free from political patronage, and the implementation of a transparent, long-term water management plan.
This decisive action is long overdue.
“My student years in the United Kingdom demonstrated a simple, yet fundamental standard,” said Datuk Frankie Poon Ming Fung.
“A reliable, uninterrupted public water supply is not a luxury, but a basic expectation of any developed society.”
He observes that in Sandakan today, the reality is starkly different.
“Here, frequent water interruptions have escalated from an inconvenience to a chronic crisis, crippling households, disrupting schools and hospitals, and undermining local businesses,” stated Poon.
He emphasizes that this persistent hardship is not a natural disaster, but a direct symptom of systemic failure—the result of decades of inadequate planning, poor maintenance, and a profound lack of accountability.
As the former assemblyman has consistently highlighted, the water woes in Sandakan are a man-made problem.
“They stem from years of neglect and a lack of political will to invest in long-term solutions. We cannot keep applying temporary fixes to a fundamental infrastructure breakdown,” he said.
These words resonate more urgently than ever. The incoming Chief Minister must make resolving this crisis an immediate and non-negotiable priority. This begins with one decisive act: appointing competent, professional leadership dedicated solely to public welfare.
Water is a basic human right and the foundation of a healthy, prosperous community. Sandakan’s future hinges on robust infrastructure and transparent governance. Only through genuine political will and a steadfast commitment to a long-term strategy can we secure the sustainable future that the people of Sabah deserve. – James Leong
