GRS must come clean on Kinarut water crisis, urges Warisan veep

KOTA KINABALU (Jan 12): The Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS)-led state government should clarify the cause of the ongoing water supply crisis in Kinarut, rather than playing the blame game.

This was voiced out by Parti Warisan vice-president Datuk Junz Wong, in cautioning against the reliance on what he described as ‘unverified claims of sabotage’ to explain the situation.

According to the Tanjung Aru assemblyman, the people living in Kinarut and its surrounding areas have endured years of ‘chronic’ water disruptions, and are well aware that this is not ‘a new or sudden problem’.

In this regard, he said the GRS had initially attempted to deflect public anger by blaming Warisan, before pivoting to the ‘sabotage narrative’ when the earlier explanation failed to convince the affected residents.

“First, they tried to blame Warisan.

“When that narrative failed to pacify residents who had been suffering for years, suddenly we heard the talk of ‘sabotage’.

“Sabahans are not that easily misled.”

Wong stressed that the Kinaru folks had reminded the GRS-led state government of it having been in power for the past five years; thus, making it both ‘unbecoming and unfair’ to continue blaming the previous administration for present-day failures.

“You cannot govern for five years, and still behave like the opposition.

“Responsibility lies with those in power today, not with past governments,” he pointed out.

In emphasising that any deliberate interference with public utilities must be investigated thoroughly, Wong also said any claim of sabotage, should it be true, would still expose serious lapses in monitoring, security and oversight of critical water infrastructure.

“All of this falls squarely under the responsibility of the state government.

“If the booster pumps and sluice valves could be interfered with so easily, then the real issue is not sabotage alone, but systemic failure and negligence.

“Who was responsible for securing these facilities, and why were they left vulnerable?” he questioned.

Wong, thus, cautioned against using criminal allegations as ‘a shield to deflect public anger’, saying that such tactics would only deepen public distrust.

“Sabahans do not want excuses, finger-pointing, or ever-changing narratives.

“They want water in their taps, transparency in governance, and leaders who take responsibility instead of shifting blame.”

In this respect, Wong urged the government to publicly disclose the full technical findings related to the alleged sabotage; explain why critical water infrastructure had been left exposed and poorly monitored; and present a clear, time-bound plan to stabilise water supply in Kinarut and for the matter, the greater Kota Kinabalu area.

“The people of Sabah deserve truth, accountability, and solutions; not convenient scapegoats and fear-based narratives,” he said.