KUCHING: The federal government is further expanding water reservoir initiatives, including in Sarawak, to enhance water resource management and mitigate flood and drought challenges.
In stating this, Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Fadillah Yusof said although Malaysia receives a high amount of rainfall, most of the rainwater flows directly into the sea without being fully utilised.
“We need more water reservoirs. Some have already been built, but they are still insufficient.
“For instance, in Kuala Lumpur, and even in Sarawak, there are some.
“These reservoirs are crucial for regulating rainwater flow into rivers gradually, thereby preventing floods and ensuring sufficient water supply,” he said.
He said this after officiating the closing of the Ihya Ramadan Camp at Institut Kemahiran Islam Malaysia Sarawak (IKMAS), Telaga Air here today.
Fadillah who is also Minister of Energy Transition and Water Transformation said the government is also considering new technologies, such as underground water reservoirs beneath buildings, to reduce dependence on treated water.
“This initiative has already been included in the National Water Policy 2040, and its implementation has begun.
“However, we want to scale up this project in a more structured manner.
“That is why the Prime Minister has requested that proposals be submitted within two weeks following the recent discussion,” he added.
On the Sarawak government’s response to this initiative, Fadillah said its successful implementation depends on several factors, including financial allocation and comprehensive land-use planning.
“Every state will certainly support it, but the challenge is the investment aspect.
“Just like in football – those with more funds can get quality players.
“The same applies to this project. We need to ensure sufficient funding to implement the plan effectively,” he said.
He also informed that the government is currently discussing this policy at the initial stage before any official guidelines are issued by the Prime Minister.
“We will first discuss the policy-level report.
“If there are guidelines from the Prime Minister later, then we will have detailed discussions with the state government,” said Fadillah.
