Romeo (centres) when attending an event at Rumah Dennis Ansam in Bawang Assan.
SIBU (Sept 13): Political secretary to the Chief Minister Romeo Christopher Tegong has suggested for the rebuilding of the Bukit Taba water plant to alleviate low water pressure problem faced by the folk of nine longhouses in Bawang Assan.
Alternatively, he suggested for a new pipeline to be built so that the folk of the nine longhouses in Bawang Assan will not have to share the watermain with residents of Sungai Bidut, Sungai Sadit, Empawah, Engkilo and Bukit Lan.
“The main cause of low water pressure in the watermain and insufficient water supply to the nine longhouses in Bawang Assan is due to a combination of factors, namely during dry season or peak hours, and also due to personal booster pumps from local residential, farms, factories and a secondary school (boarding school),” he said yesterday.
Romeo added that the folk of the nine longhouses in Bawang Assan have been facing this issue for a long time.
He is confident that the Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) government will consider this matter seriously and find ways to resolve the issue.
Romeo, who is also Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu (PBB) Bawang Assan branch chief, said he has informed Sibu Water Board (SWB) about the matter.
“I have informed SWB that Bawang Assan needs a new project to overcome this problem. I would like to suggest to the government to consider rebuilding of the Bukit Taba water plant or build a new pipeline without sharing the watermain with the residents of Sungai Bidut, Sungai Sadit, Empawah, Engkilo and Bukit Lan to alleviate the problem of low water pressure to the nine longhouses in Bawang Assan.
“If approved, the folk of longhouses in Sungai Lengan with 300 doors and the folk of Sungai Tebelian will also benefit, as well as other surrounding residents,” he added.
He believed that the government would consider this project, given its urgency.
Romeo said he places high hope on GPS government to resolve the low water pressure problem faced by the folk of nine longhouses in Bawang Assan.
“We believe that under the GPS government, everything can be done and resolved well, including the problem in Bawang Assan. We hope this problem can be resolved immediately and get the attention of the relevant parties,” he added.
Tuai Rumah Embark Tani said that residents of nine longhouses in Bawang Assan have been facing low water pressure problem since three years ago and called on the relevant authority to address the problem.
Earlier, Romeo had attended a prayer ceremony for the start of the construction of a retaining wall project at Rumah Dennis Ansam, Bawang Assan here yesterday.
He said the project costs RM80,000 where Department of Drainage and Irrigation (DID) Sibu Division is the implementing agency.
The retaining wall is 64-metre in length. The state-funded project commences this month and is expected to be completed by this November.
DID Sibu Divisional Engineer Law Chai Lik was also present at the event.