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Julaih (right) with Dr Jerip during the visit to the Puncak Borneo Water Acute System on June 23, 2026.Advertisement
By Jacob Achoi
KUCHING, June 23: The federal government has agreed in principle to Sarawak’s proposed takeover of 79 federal water supply projects worth RM3.47 billion, which includes the RM129 million Phase II Puncak Borneo water supply project approved in 2017 but has yet to be implemented.
Sarawak Minister for Utility and Telecommunications Dato Sri Julaihi Narawi said the State government has written to the Ministry of Finance and is awaiting the final details, particularly on the financial arrangements, before the takeover can proceed.
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“The Ministry of Utility and Telecommunications and our implementing agencies have held meetings with the federal government and have written letters to them and are waiting for details and finalisation,” Julaihi told reporters today during a visit to the Puncak Borneo Acute Water System near the Bengoh Dam.
He stressed that delays in the projects have created a missing link in the Sarawak government’s efforts to provide treated water to the people.
At the same time, Julaihi said the Sarawak government has the capability and expertise to implement the water supply projects, pointing to its track record of successfully delivering 360 projects statewide with a total allocation of RM7 billion.
“For the record, we have completed 93 per cent of the total projects and the rest are underway,” he said.
On the Puncak Borneo Acute Water System, Julaihi said it would be connected to the three villages, namely Kampung Sitang, Kampung Petang and Kampung Bangau at Jalan Puncak Borneo.
“Works to supply water to the three villages will be carried out immediately,” the Sebuyau assemblyman said.
Earlier, Deputy Minister of Transport (Aviation and Roads), Datuk Dr Jerip Susil, who was also present, highlighted that the three villages, including a nearby primary school, relied heavily on gravity feed. — DayakDaily
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