SABAH is blessed with rich natural resources, abundant rainfall, extensive forests, rivers and catchments. These natural resources have supported our communities and economic activities for generations. But as Sabah continues its development journey under Sabah Maju Jaya (SMJ) 2.0, ensuring a reliable and sustainable water supply become increasingly important.

The possible impact of El Niño and prolonged dry conditions provides a timely reminder that water security requires careful preparation. However, this should not be viewed simply as a response to one weather event. Rather, it is an opportunity for Sabah to further strengthen its long-term approach to water-resource management.

Water Security is a Foundation of Development. Water is essential to almost every aspect of our lives. Existing and new industries, agriculture, tourism, housing, commercial activities, healthcare and other economic activities all depend on a reliable water supply. Families also rightly expect safe, sufficient and dependable water as part of a good quality of life. Water security is therefore closely connected to economic growth, food security, public health, investment confidence and community wellbeing.

As Sabah moves forward with SMJ 2.0, water security should be regarded as one of the important foundations of the State’s long-term development.

The State Government has made significant investments over the years in water treatment facilities, pipelines, reservoirs and other infrastructure. The next step is to further strengthen the way these infrastructure assets and Sabah’s natural water resources are managed as one integrated system.

We need to manage the Whole Water Cycle. Water management is not only about treating water and sending it to consumers. We need to look after water from the time rain falls, enters our catchments and rivers, is stored and treated, delivered to homes and businesses, used by consumers, and where practical treated and reused. This means protecting forests and catchment areas, keeping rivers clean, providing adequate storage for dry periods, maintaining reliable treatment and distribution systems, reducing wastage and encouraging appropriate water reuse.

In simple terms, we should protect water when it is available, store it when we can, use it efficiently and reuse it where appropriate.

This whole-of-cycle approach can help Sabah make better use of its existing resources while preparing for future challenges.

Five strategic areas are proposed for consideration:

1. Strengthen catchment protection

Healthy catchments are the foundation of sustainable water resources.
Our strategic catchments, forests and river corridors need continued protection because they help maintain water quality and the reliability of our water sources. Catchment protection should therefore be viewed not simply as environmental protection, but as an investment in Sabah’s natural water infrastructure.

2. Enhance strategic water storage

Climate variability reminds us of the importance of having sufficient water reserves. Sabah could continue to assess suitable opportunities for reservoirs, off-river storage and other appropriate forms of water storage. Rainwater harvesting could also be encouraged for suitable public buildings, commercial developments, industrial facilities and other premises.

The principle is simple. That is to capture and store water when it is available so that reserves are available during dry periods.

3. Reduce water losses

Reducing Non-Revenue Water (NRW) is one of the most practical ways to improve the efficiency of existing water infrastructure.

Ageing pipelines, leakage, inaccurate metering and excessive pressure can result in valuable, treated water being lost before it reaches consumers.

Systematic pipeline replacement, better pressure management, improved metering, leak detection and digital monitoring can progressively reduce these losses.

Water conserved through efficiency improvements can also help defer the need for some additional water-supply capacity. In other words, the most cost-effective source of additional water can sometimes be the water we currently lose.

4. Develop smart water management

Digital technology provides Sabah with new opportunities to manage water resources more effectively. We could consider developing an integrated State Water Information and Monitoring System that brings together information on rainfall, river levels, reservoir storage, water demand and weather conditions.

Sensors, telemetry, geographic information systems, satellite data and artificial intelligence could progressively improve monitoring and forecasting.

The objective is straightforward. That is to move from reacting to water problems towards identifying and managing them earlier.

5. Strengthen drought and climate resilience

Sabah’s water planning should prepare for both prolonged dry periods and excessive rainfall. A State-level drought management framework could establish clear indicators and response levels so that relevant agencies can coordinate their actions before conditions become critical. This could include water conservation, reservoir operation, emergency water supply, public communication and prioritisation of essential water uses.

A coordinated whole-of-state approach

Water does not follow administrative boundaries. Water-resource management involves many sectors and stakeholders, including water supply, drainage, irrigation, agriculture, forestry, environment, land development, local authorities and disaster management. Greater coordination among these areas can help ensure that individual projects and policies contribute towards a common State water-security objective. Sabah could consider further strengthening existing inter-agency coordination, with appropriate State-level mechanism for integrated Water Resource Council where necessary. The objective should not be to create unnecessary bureaucracy. It should be practical. That is better coordination; better information and better decisions.

Planning today for Sabah tomorrow

Looking ahead, Sabah could consider developing a Sabah Integrated Water Resource Management Plan 2027–2050, aligned with SMJ 2.0.

Such a plan could provide a long-term framework covering strategic water-source protection, river-basin planning, water storage, supply infrastructure, NRW reduction, groundwater protection, rainwater harvesting, water conservation and reuse, drought and flood resilience, and digital monitoring.

Most importantly, the plan should translate policy into clear priorities, measurable targets and phased implementation.

Water infrastructure has a long service life. Decisions made today will influence Sabah’s development for decades. Therefore, our planning should look beyond the next dry season and consider the needs of Sabah in 2030, 2040 and 2050.

The objective should not simply be to respond to the next water shortage. It should be to build confidence that every Sabah family, farmer, business and industry can have access to adequate and sustainable water resources for generations to come.

Water is more than a utility. It is a foundation of development. As Sabah advances under SMJ 2.0, let us take this opportunity to strengthen our water-resource management through good planning, sound engineering, responsible stewardship and close cooperation. El Niño may be a temporary climate challenge. Water security is a long-term responsibility.

BEIJING: China dan Nepal mengambil pendekatan berbeza dalam penyampaian maklumat susulan banjir besar di Himalaya, sekali gus mempengaruhi gambaran bencana yang mengorbankan lebih 1,400 orang itu kepada masyarakat.

Banjir seperti tsunami yang berlaku pada 26 Ogos selepas runtuhan glasier di kawasan pegunungan di sempadan China-Nepal menyebabkan lebih 5,650 orang masih hilang, termasuk ratusan warga asing.

Kedua-dua China dan Nepal mengambil tindakan terhadap penyebaran hantaran palsu berkaitan banjir berkenaan.

Bagaimanapun, Beijing bertindak lebih jauh dengan menyekat penyebaran rakaman video daripada saksi kejadian serta mengenakan tindakan terhadap individu yang mempersoalkan angka rasmi, dalam satu tindakan kawalan maklumat yang menurut kumpulan hak asasi manusia mengikut corak yang sudah biasa dilakukan kerajaan China.

Maklumat mengenai banjir yang disiarkan media kerajaan China kurang memberi ruang kepada ahli keluarga mangsa yang masih hilang dan lebih memberi tumpuan kepada usaha pasukan penyelamat menjalankan operasi mencari dan memulihkan keadaan di Tibet, kawasan yang wartawan asing tidak mempunyai akses tanpa sekatan.

Nepal pula mendesak platform media sosial dan organisasi berita memadam bahan visual palsu, termasuk beberapa imej yang disahkan tidak benar oleh pemeriksa fakta AFP, namun Kathmandu tetap memberikan kemas kini angka korban secara berkala menerusi media sosial.

Kenyataan langsung daripada keluarga mangsa juga mudah diperoleh, sama ada secara dalam talian atau di lapangan.

Pengerusi badan pengawal selia bebas Press Council Nepal, Umesh Shrestha, berkata pihaknya meminta lebih 100 akaun media sosial memadam kandungan berkenaan dan kebanyakannya mematuhi arahan itu.

“Maklumat boleh tersebar dengan sangat pantas,” kata Shrestha.

Polis Nepal menahan seorang lelaki yang didakwa menyebarkan maklumat palsu mengenai sumbangan kepada tabung bantuan bagi mempromosikan akaun peribadinya.

Bencana itu berlaku menjelang ulang tahun pertama demonstrasi antirasuah yang menggulingkan kerajaan terdahulu, selepas tercetus susulan sekatan terhadap media sosial.

Menurut Kementerian Keselamatan Awam China, 10 individu dikenakan tindakan kerana didakwa menyebarkan maklumat palsu dalam talian.

Mereka termasuk individu yang didakwa mendakwa angka korban sebenar lebih tinggi berbanding angka rasmi.

Kementerian Luar China menegaskan penyampaian maklumat berkaitan bencana itu dilakukan secara terbuka, telus dan tepat pada masanya, selain mengkritik apa yang disifatkannya sebagai fitnah berniat jahat dan sensasi.

Beijing turut menganjurkan lawatan untuk sebilangan kecil media asing ke pusat bencana di Tibet.- AFP

KUCHING (Sept 13): Lubok Antu was the only station in Sarawak recording very unhealthy air quality as at 9am today, with its Air Pollutant Index (API) standing at 201.

According to the Natural Resources and Environment Board’s (NREB) API Status for Sarawak, the reading places Lubok Antu just into the very unhealthy category, which starts at an API of 201.

Serian recorded the highest reading in the unhealthy category at 185, followed by Sri Aman at 174 and Betong (MCAQM) at 172.

Kuching and Samarahan both registered 156, while Kanowit recorded 148. Tebedu posted an API of 137, followed by Lundu at 122 and Sibu at 109.

Other stations recorded moderate air quality, led by Sarikei at 91, followed by Mukah at 80, Kapit at 76, Bintulu at 74, Miri at 72, Samalaju at 70, Lawas at 63, ILP Miri at 61 and Limbang at 55.

Bario continued to record the state’s only good air quality reading at 50.

Under the API health classification, readings of 0 to 50 are considered good, 51 to 100 moderate, 101 to 200 unhealthy and 201 to 300 very unhealthy.

Residents in areas with unhealthy and very unhealthy air quality are advised to reduce prolonged outdoor activities, while children, the elderly and those with respiratory or heart conditions are advised to take extra precautions.

KUCHING (Sept 13): The Malaysian Thoracic Society (MTS) has urged the government to step up public awareness and enforcement activities to prevent further deterioration of air quality.

The current haze is not merely an environmental issue but a significant public health threat, particularly to people’s lungs and respiratory systems.

“Clean air is not a luxury. It is a basic requirement for healthy lungs and a healthy society. We should not wait for another emergency declaration before acting.

“Prevention, accountability and regional cooperation must begin before the next fire starts,” the society said in a statement on Saturday.

MTS pointed out that Sarawak was bearing the brunt of the haze, with many locations recording unhealthy Air Pollutant Index (API) readings.

Unhealthy readings have also been recorded in parts of Sabah, Johor and Labuan.

“The recent episode has been particularly severe in Sarawak, with Kuching, Serian, Sri Aman and Samarahan reaching very unhealthy levels earlier this week (recently).

“Transboundary smoke from extensive fires in Kalimantan and Sumatera has contributed significantly to the situation,” it said.

The society advised the public to protect their lungs, particularly in areas experiencing unhealthy or worse air quality. Residents should reduce prolonged outdoor activities, particularly strenuous exercise.

Children, older adults, pregnant women and people with asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), heart disease and other chronic illnesses should take extra precautions and remain indoors as much as practicable when air quality deteriorates.

“Where outdoor exposure is unavoidable, a properly fitted N95 or equivalent particulate respirator provides substantially better protection against fine particles than ordinary surgical or cloth masks.”

MTS further advised communities to keep windows and doors closed when appropriate, and consider using air conditioning and/or air purifiers where available.

People with respiratory disease should ensure that their regular medications are available and seek medical attention if they develop worsening breathlessness, persistent wheezing, chest tightness or other significant symptoms, it said.

However, MTS stressed that protecting people during a haze episode was only half the solution.

“Haze of this magnitude should not become an annual inevitability. While weather and dry conditions can worsen fires, the ignition and uncontrolled burning of forests, peatlands and agricultural land are largely preventable human activities,” it said.

The society noted recent reports indicate extensive fires across parts of Indonesia, with transboundary smoke affecting neighbouring countries including Malaysia.

It called upon the government to strengthen regional diplomatic engagement, real-time monitoring, enforcement and accountability under existing Asean mechanisms.

MTS also urged the government to intensify surveillance of local open burning, strengthen early-warning and firefighting capacity, and pursue meaningful action against parties responsible for fires that endanger public health across national borders.

“Open burning of garden waste is illegal but is still commonplace during this time of transboundary haze,” it added.