Abang Johari Openg will bring up the water woes at Universiti Malaysia Sabah (UMS) to the Higher Education Ministry in response to an open letter from a student.

In a statement on Tuesday (May 27), the Sarawak Premier's Office said Abang Johari thanked the Sarawakian student at UMS for the letter but could not take direct action as the matter lay outside his jurisdiction.

Nevertheless, the Premier will raise the issue for the information and action of Higher Education Minister Datuk Seri Dr Zambry Abdul Kadir," the statement said.

The Star reported on Monday (May 26) that an open letter by a Sarawakian student to Abang Johari on the university's water woes had gone viral.

Muhammad Rasul Rozmiezan, a second-year sociology student from Kuching, said he wrote the letter to voice the concerns of Sarawakian students and draw national attention to the issue.

"I understand the Premier’s limitations, but I believe he can help amplify our voices.

"What he does to help Sarawakians can also benefit Sabahans,” he said in the letter, adding that students had gone without consistent water supply for days,

“Sometimes I had to bathe with bottled water or pay RM1 to shower at a shopping mall,” he said.

ALSO READ: UMS water supply issue to be resolved

Sabah Works Minister Datuk Shahelmey Yahya said the state government was working with the Water Department (JANS) and UMS to resolve the issue.

Meanwhile, Deputy Higher Education Minister Datuk Mustapha Sakmud said the current supply from JANS remained inconsistent, while the tube well system could not meet UMS’s daily demand of five million litres.

"I’ve appealed to the Chief Minister to give UMS priority in the water distribution schedule," he said.

https://www.thestar.com.my/news/nation/2025...er-edu-ministry

"Sabah Works Minister Datuk Shahelmey Yahya said the state government was working with the Water Department (JANS) and UMS to resolve the issue"

tipu bulat2 in front of abang jo's face
this issue has been for years.....article say days but in reality they can go weeks without water

if dorm got water issue, why didnt pindah elsewhere?

why kacau abang jo in first place, ums use sarawak water company service aaa?

even say u got the money to move

move where?
it's not UMS that has water problem, it's the whole district

last time myself in uni, distance between my house and the college is around 20km. okay ja.

20KM in sabah is not the same as 20KM in WM
20KM in sabah in morning traffic today will take u almost 2 hours...say to UMS

oh and don't forget, other district also suffers from water outage issue too

This post has been edited by MR_alien: May 27 2025, 06:37 PM

sure sure i believe you.

Janji songlap dulu?

Without highways, 20km is a long ass distance

tak faham, Sarawak water is not under state? why need to go to fed?

Penang no water 3 days, penang lang hari hari kecam LGE CKY and PBA for months.

edit: kelate got free teh tarik, we also puji state govt. mana ada fed can take the credit?

This post has been edited by loserguy: May 27 2025, 06:45 PM

now u understand why i quit my job

it's fine if you don't believe me, maybe can ask another sabahan or u can always come here and try for yourself
it's basically like going to work in SG but you're being paid minimum wage in MYR

imagine you have to wake up 4.30AM, start driving at 5.30AM ish to go to work an a job that starts 8AM
thn the drive back is another 1.5 hours

This post has been edited by MR_alien: May 27 2025, 06:50 PM

Bang m. Dia Kata federal higher education ministry. Tu federal. Universities under higher education ministry

i tot mr pak you said BN brought development to sabah since 1994?

Why so epic fail? Everything fail

Macam your own house lor, anything past the meter is your responsibility. If before the meter it should be the water authority.

In this case, whole uni tak cukup air ke only that one block tak cukup air? If one particular block tak cukup air, either paip bocor or piping problems, that should be the uni punya problem. But if whole place tak cukup ...

This post has been edited by loserguy: May 27 2025, 06:54 PM

DeepSeek

What did BN do all these while?

Why didnt raise sarahan federal/semananjung pipur kad??

they even street protest before.....they know nothing works

The federal government has acknowledged Sabah’s ongoing water supply challenges and has taken several steps to address them. However, despite these efforts, issues persist, and there is growing concern among residents and officials about the effectiveness of current measures. 

Federal Government Initiatives

In recent years, the federal government has allocated significant funds to improve Sabah’s water infrastructure:
• In 2024, a soft loan of RM320 million was provided to tackle the state’s water crisis, targeting 20 projects expected to be completed within six to twelve months. 
• An additional RM140.86 million was allocated under the Rural Water Supply (BALB) programme to upgrade water supply systems in rural areas of Sabah. 
• Under the Malaysia MADANI Budget 2024, the Unity Government allocated RM1.1 billion nationwide to resolve water supply issues, with Sabah being one of the beneficiaries. 

Ongoing Challenges and Criticisms

Despite these allocations, Sabah continues to face significant water supply issues:
• Sabah owes RM6 billion in federal loans, much of which was intended for infrastructure projects, including water and sewerage systems. 
• Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi emphasized the need for better coordination between federal and state governments to ensure the effectiveness of water supply improvements. 
• Sabah Barisan Nasional chief Datuk Seri Bung Moktar Radin stated that federal funds alone are insufficient to solve the water crisis and called for a comprehensive long-term plan to address the issue. 

Public Sentiment

Residents of Sabah have expressed frustration over the persistent water shortages and infrastructure problems:
• A Reddit user highlighted frequent water shortages and blackouts in their area, questioning the government’s responsiveness to these issues. 
• A student group criticized the government’s spending priorities, questioning the allocation of RM4 million for SMJ number plates while Sabahans endure water crises. 

These sentiments reflect a broader dissatisfaction with the handling of water supply issues in Sabah, indicating a need for more effective and transparent solutions.

Conclusion

While the federal government has made financial commitments to address Sabah’s water supply problems, the persistence of these issues suggests that funding alone is not sufficient. Effective coordination between federal and state authorities, comprehensive planning, and transparent implementation are crucial to resolving the water crisis in Sabah.