MIRI: Residents in Miri have been urged not to engage in panic buying ahead of the scheduled 36-hour water supply disruption on Jun 10 and 11.
Miri Mayor and Pujut assemblyman Adam Yii Siew Sang said the public should instead make prudent preparations and purchase water supplies according to their actual needs, assuring that drinking water supplies are expected to remain sufficient throughout the disruption period.
He acknowledged that many residents had begun stocking up on drinking water in anticipation of the temporary disruption but stressed that there was no need to hoard excessive amounts of bottled water.
“The upcoming water supply disruption involves planned maintenance work and is expected to last for only about 36 hours, not for an extended period.
“Therefore, the public is encouraged to purchase supplies according to their actual needs so that the available supplies can be shared fairly with other families in the community,” he said in a statement on Monday (Jun 8).
Yii said local supermarkets and suppliers had assured the authorities that efforts were underway to replenish existing stocks and bring in additional supplies from outside Miri to meet consumer demand.
He also said fresh stocks of drinking water would continue arriving over the next few days, and residents need not worry about any shortage.
At the same time, he advised households to prepare sufficient water for drinking and cooking purposes, while water for other daily activities such as washing and cleaning could be stored in advance using buckets, storage containers or water tanks.
“I would like to call on traders and retailers to exercise social responsibility by maintaining reasonable prices and refraining from taking advantage of the situation through excessive price hikes.
“Cooperation and a responsible attitude from all parties are essential to ensure the community could cope smoothly with the temporary inconvenience caused by the scheduled maintenance works,” he stressed.
The planned water supply disruption is expected to affect consumers across Miri as authorities carry out maintenance works on the water supply system.
Residents have been advised to make the necessary preparations while avoiding unnecessary stockpiling.
