Sarawak calls for stronger Asean water cooperation

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Julaihi (fifth from left) with delegates from Sarawak and representatives of the Singapore Water Association (SWA) during the Singapore Business Forum held in conjunction with the Singapore International Water Week 2025.

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SINGAPORE: Sarawak has called for stronger regional cooperation to address Southeast Asia’s shared water challenges, with Minister for Utilities and Telecommunications, Datuk Seri Julaihi Narawi, outlining Sarawak’s transformative water strategy and international engagement efforts at the Singapore Business Forum held in conjunction with the Singapore International Water Week 2025.

Delivering a keynote address titled “Regional Partnerships – Tapping Southeast Asia’s Water Market: Regional Synergy in Tackling Shared Water Challenges”, Julaihi noted that sustainable water management requires collaborative, cross-border action.

“Water knows no boundaries; it flows freely across countries, through rivers, aquifers, and ecosystems.

“The challenges we face, scarcity, pollution, and climate change, cannot be resolved by any single nation alone.

They demand collective responsibility and strong cooperation.”

He highlighted that with Southeast Asia’s rapid economic growth and rising populations, demand for clean water is expected to increase significantly.

In response, Sarawak has developed a long-term strategy to ensure that all communities have access to clean and reliable water by 2030.

“As part of this vision, Sarawak has developed a comprehensive Water Supply Master Plan and Water Grid that is transformative for the sector.

“Under the Master Plan, all the water grids in Southern, Central and Northern regions will be upgraded, enhanced, and eventually connected to span across Sarawak.”

The current water supply coverage in Sarawak stands at 85.4 per cent overall, with 70.5 per cent coverage in rural areas.

For remote interior communities not yet accessible by the primary water grid, Julaihi said clean water is provided via the stand-alone Sarawak Alternative Water Supply (SAWAS) programme.

To improve management and efficiency, the state is also in the process of consolidating its water authorities into a single entity.

This includes the amalgamation of the Kuching Water Board, Sibu Water Board, and LAKU Management Sdn. Bhd., with the Sarawak Rural Water Supply Department to be integrated at a later stage.

Julaihi further stressed Sarawak’s embrace of digitalisation.

“We are adopting innovative automation through centralised SCADA command centres, smart metering, and Internet of Things (IoT) applications for real-time leak detection and reduction of non-revenue water.”

Sarawak is also actively promoting international cooperation, with key initiatives including the bi-annual Borneo International Water & Wastewater Exhibition & Conference (BIWWEC), which Sarawak hosts, and the upcoming International Water Association (IWA) World Water Congress & Exhibition in 2028, scheduled to be held in Kuching.

In addition, Sarawak has signed memorandums of understanding (MoUs) to boost collaboration, which include a 2024 MoU between the Malaysian Water Association (Sarawak Branch) and the Singapore Water Association for rural water supply development, and another with the Republic of Korea under the BIMP-EAGA framework to develop an intelligent water loss management system.

The state has also partnered with the University of Waterloo in Canada for research and training of water professionals.

“In the face of climate uncertainties and increasing water demands.

“Sarawak is committed to working with our Southeast Asian neighbours and international partners.

“Together, we can make water not just a basic necessity, but a catalyst for peace, prosperity, and shared regional progress,” Julaihi said.

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