SIBU: Improved water supply following the completion of the Sungai Sadit Water Treatment System has eased one long-standing concern among residents in Empawah area at West Bank here but poor telecommunications coverage and weak internet connectivity remain pressing issues for the rural community.
The matter was highlighted during a recent house-to-house outreach by Sarawak United People’s Party (SUPP) Bawang Assan Branch chairman Councillor Kevin Lau Kor Jie and his team, who visited nine households in the area, including an elderly resident who had recently been discharged from hospital.
Lau said residents had reported noticeable improvements in both water supply and water pressure since the Sungai Sadit Water Treatment System became operational.
However, he said the improvement had not fully addressed the community’s infrastructure needs, with unreliable mobile phone coverage and poor internet access continuing to affect residents’ daily lives.
“Poor mobile coverage and weak internet connectivity do not merely affect everyday communication. They can also limit residents’ access to essential services and important information when needed,” he said in a statement on Monday (Sept 21).
Lau, who is also SUPP Youth chief, said residents had also raised questions over the status of fibre-optic infrastructure, which they understood had already been extended to the area.
He said it remained unclear whether the infrastructure was fully operational and accessible to residents, prompting the SUPP Bawang Assan team to seek clarification from the relevant authorities and agencies.
“The key question now is to what extent the fibre-optic facilities that have been extended can actually be utilised by residents in the area.”
He said the team would follow up with the relevant agencies to obtain an update on the implementation status and determine whether households in Empawah could benefit from the fibre-optic expansion.
He stressed that the house-to-house outreach was not merely about delivering assistance, but also about engaging residents directly and identifying issues that might not always be captured through formal channels.
“Face-to-face engagement allows us to gain a clearer understanding of the community’s needs and to follow up on problems based on residents’ actual experiences.”
He said the improvement in water supply demonstrated that persistent attention and follow-up could help address basic infrastructure concerns in rural communities.
“For residents in Empawah, the improvement in water supply shows that basic infrastructure concerns can be addressed through sustained attention and follow-up.
“Now, the focus is shifting towards another necessity of modern life — stable and reliable communication connectivity,” said Lau, who is also Sibu Rural District Council (SRDC) Environment and Public Health Standing Committee chairman.
He assured residents that his team would continue following up on the issues raised during the outreach, stressing that their concerns should lead to concrete action rather than end with a visit or discussion.
