Bung Moktar Criticizes Persistent Power and Water Outages in Sabah, Demands Action

Bung Moktar Expresses Frustration Over Prolonged Utility Outages in Sabah

Datuk Seri Bung Moktar Radin, a prominent political figure, has voiced significant concern and disappointment regarding the frequent and extended disruptions to electricity and water supplies experienced by residents across Sabah. These ongoing issues, he highlighted, are severely impacting the daily lives and well-being of the population, leading to considerable hardship and inconvenience for families and businesses alike.

The reliability of basic utilities like power and water is fundamental to modern living. When these services fail consistently, it disrupts everything from household routines to essential public services and economic activities. Many parts of Sabah, particularly areas like Kinabatangan, have reportedly faced such severe and prolonged blackouts and water cuts that Bung Moktar described them metaphorically as becoming 'The Lost World', emphasizing the dire state of infrastructure in these regions.

Impact on Daily Life

The interruptions to power and water services have far-reaching consequences. Households struggle with basic tasks, businesses face operational challenges, and there is a general decline in the quality of life for those affected. Children’s education can be hampered by a lack of lighting, and food spoilage becomes a concern without consistent refrigeration. For communities already grappling with other development challenges, these utility failures add another layer of difficulty.

Local residents have endured blackouts lasting more than 15 hours in some instances, prompting urgent pleas for immediate and long-term solutions. The dependency on these critical services means that any failure creates a ripple effect throughout the community, affecting health, safety, and economic stability.

Efforts to Restore Services

In response to the widespread outages, Sabah Electricity Sdn Bhd (SESB), the primary electricity provider for the state, has assured the public that efforts are underway to restore power supply as quickly as possible. As part of these measures, at least 27 generator sets have been deployed and are now operational, particularly in the critical East Coast regions of Sabah, aiming to provide temporary relief and stabilize the power grid.

While these emergency measures are appreciated, they often represent a stopgap solution rather than addressing the root causes of the problem. There is a clear and growing demand for more robust and permanent infrastructure upgrades to prevent such recurrent issues.

Calls for Long-Term Solutions

The public and political leaders, including Bung Moktar, are strongly urging for the acceleration of major infrastructure projects. Specifically, there is a call to expedite the development of new power generation facilities and the enhancement of the electricity grid network across Sabah. These long-term investments are seen as crucial to ensuring a stable and reliable supply of electricity and water for all residents, moving beyond temporary fixes.

Improving infrastructure is vital for Sabah's continued development and for meeting the needs of its growing population. A reliable utility system is not only about convenience but also about fostering economic growth and improving public health and safety.

What happens next

The authorities, including SESB and the state government, are expected to continue their efforts to stabilize current utility supplies while also planning for future infrastructure improvements. Public pressure is likely to remain high as residents await concrete steps towards lasting solutions for consistent electricity and water services across Sabah.