Anwar pledges to fix Sabah’s water crisis by next year with RM1b boost

Anwar pledges to fix Sabah’s water crisis by next year with RM1b boost



Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim visits Kampung Petagas in Putatan November 15, 2025. He has pledged action on Sabah’s water supply issues and deteriorating road conditions. — Bernama pic

Sunday, 16 Nov 2025 9:19 AM MYT


KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 16 — Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim has given his assurance that Sabah’s persistent water supply issues will be resolved next year.

According to Berita Harian, the prime minister said the federal government had increased development spending for Sabah by RM1 billion to address the long-running problem.

“That’s why we increased the allocation. How much for water? RM1 billion. Next year, God willing, Sabah’s water problems will be resolved,” he reportedly said during a keynote ceramah at a hotel in Putatan yesterday.

Sabah has grappled with chronic water supply disruptions for more than a decade, largely due to ageing infrastructure, high non-revenue water losses and delays in upgrading treatment plants and pipelines.


Rapid urban expansion in Kota Kinabalu and nearby districts has further strained supply, while major projects such as the Telibong II and Kogopon plant upgrades have faced repeated setbacks.

State officials have long cited funding gaps and inherited structural issues as key obstacles.

Anwar added that the government would also look for ways to fix the state’s pothole-ridden roads, questioning why Sabahans continued to endure such conditions daily.


“Tomorrow I’m going to Tenom. An officer said it takes 60 minutes and asked if the prime minister is using the road.

“I said yes. But he said there are many potholes. ‘Can your back handle it?’ I told him my back isn’t that strong. Do you think I’m proud to hear this? So we must find a solution,” he said, as cited by the national daily.

Anwar also urged Sabah voters to support candidates with proven records of service in the state election on November 29.

He cautioned against voting based on anger or racial sentiment, calling such attitudes harmful.

“Don’t just follow your anger. Don’t follow racial sentiment; it’s wrong. The country will not be safe like that.

“What country in the world can be peaceful if everyone uses race? Whether you’re the majority or the minority, they are humans just like us,” he reportedly said.