KUCHING: Repeated water pipe bursts associated with works under the Kuching Urban Transportation System (KUTS) project continue to disrupt water supply in Tabuan Jaya and nearby areas, causing inconvenience to residents and businesses.
Kuching South City Council (MBKS) Mayor, Datuk Wee Hong Seng, said that major projects like this should be carefully planned and prepared for any potential challenges that may arise.
“Mistakes can be made once or twice, but if it’s recurring, they need to seriously look into the problems and be very careful in what they have picked up. They should have a proper plan to determine upcoming possible challenges.
“As a city council, we cannot detect what is the problem even though there is a modern technology but this issue calls for the need to identify the root cause of problem instead of pointing fingers,” he said, during the press conference on applicants of the 2026-2028 term of the Kuching South City Council, here, today.
Wee also stressed that the issue should be taken seriously by all authorities involved, adding that those responsible should be penalised instead of being let off easily, as repeated mistakes without consequences would only continue to occur.
He added that immediate action to restore water supply and assist the public should be prioritised whenever such incidents occur.
“All relevant parties must work closely with Sarawak Water Sdn Bhd to ensure assistance, including water supply deliveries, can be channelled quickly to affected areas.
“Posting on Facebook or in newspapers will not reconnect pipes or restore water supply. What matters most is taking swift action to help the people,” he said.
Following that, he said several other construction projects also had to be temporarily halted after encountering underground utilities, including major water pipes that were not identified earlier.
“This situation has caused delays in works as well as the closure of certain roads for safety reasons and to prevent more serious damage,” he said.
