KOTA KINABALU: Warisan president Datuk Seri Mohd Shafie Apdal has asserted that the Warisan Plus government terminated contracts with six companies due to significant ‘imbalances’.
He said that these contracts were linked to the infamous “watergate” scandal in Sabah, which took place during the Barisan Nasional (BN) administration under Tan Sri Musa Aman.
Mohd Shafie explained that this decision aimed not only to rectify unfair conditions but also to enhance water management throughout the state.
Following the contract terminations, the operation and maintenance of the facilities were transferred to the Water Department, he noted.
According to Mohd Shafie, this move was intended to reduce expenses.
“While the government compensated RM315 million, it successfully saved RM685 million from the contracts over a span of 20 years,” he said in a statement today.
As such, Mohd Shafie said the Gabungan Rakyat Sabah’s (GRS) government’s accusations against the Warisan Party regarding the worsening water situation are perceived as a strategy to mask its own failures.
He pointed out that after Warisan concluded contracts with six companies overseeing 58 water treatment plants, Sabah did not experience significant water issues in 2018.
He emphasised that the water crisis only emerged after GRS assumed control of the state government at the end of 2020.
“Since then, residents have encountered problems such as saline water in Sandakan, insufficient water supply at Universiti Malaysia Sabah (UMS), and frequent service interruptions,” he said.
Therefore, Mohd Shafie contended that Chief Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor’s assertion that Warisan is responsible for the current water challenges is unfounded.
This serves as a clear attempt to shift focus away from GRS’s administrative shortcomings, he said.
“The government should prioritise finding solutions rather than placing blame on others. The water crisis in Sabah has been a persistent issue.
“However, this situation has deteriorated under Hajiji’s leadership. Completely blaming Warisan is unjust,” he added.
