Fadillah: High time to reimagine water sector

The Star

6 hours ago

KUALA LUMPUR: The country's pipeline systems must be moder­nised to strengthen operational performance and reimagine the water sector as a model of resi­lience, sustainability and service excellence, says Datuk Seri Fadillah Yusof (pic).
The Deputy Prime Minister said the water sector is at a defining point, with latest decisions shaping the reliability, sustainability and equity of water services for future generations.
Opening the Water Malaysia 2025 Specialised Conference and Exhibition here yesterday, he said the event theme reflected the urgent need to modernise the pipeline systems.
'It is also to strengthen ope­rational efficiency and address the pressing challenges of leaka­ges and (service) disruptions, and the opportunity to reimagine Malay­sia's water sector,' he said in his address, Bernama reported.
The Water Malaysia 2025 Spe­cialised Conference and Exhi­­bi­tion carries the theme 'Pipeline Materials, Design, Construction, Monitoring and Maintenance for Water and Sewerage Systems'.
Fadillah, who is also Energy Transition and Water Trans­for­mation Minister, said reforms will be anchored on four strategic pillars – effi­ciency first, digital transformation, resilience planning and stakeholder engagement.
'Efficiency must be integrated from design to operation, taking into account not only initial costs but also the full lifecycle value, environmental impact and benefits to the community.'
Fadillah also said the government will adopt condition-based asset replacement programmes, standardise materials to prevent corrosion and set up water ­know­ledge hubs as centres of excellence to capture, share and scale best practices in rehabilitation and rapid res­ponse.
'These are not small measures. They are bold steps towards a future where our assets last longer, our water systems are resilient and the rakyat expe­riences a higher qua­lity of service every day,' he added.
Fadillah said the transformation requires financing that rewards innovation, adding that water utility funding will be restructured through performance-linked mechanisms while green investment instruments, including bonds, will be mobilised to accelerate sustainable infrastructure.
'These are not just financial instruments. They are investments in resilience, predictive maintenance and smart infrastructure deployment.
'The true return will be measured not merely in ringgit, but in trust, sustainability and service excellence for the rakyat.'
Fadillah said technology alone could not drive change as it is engineers, technicians, operators and leaders who were the true drivers of progress.
As such, a future-ready workforce will be built through water academies, mentoring program­mes and continuous talent deve­lopment initiatives, he said.
He said accountability and public confidence will be reinforced through stricter pipeline quality standards, mandatory inspections and transparent reporting via a Pipeline Accountability Portal, which offers real-time updates on disruptions, leakage rates and resolution timelines.
'Today, we are laying down not only pipelines of steel, but also pipelines of trust, innovation and hope, ensuring Malaysia's water sector becomes a benchmark for the region,' he said.
Malaysian Water Association president Mohamad Hairi Basri, in his address, said the event provided a strategic platform to strengthen cross-sector collabo­ration, promote sustainable practices, enhance technical capabi­lities and create opportunities for innovation and investment.
The two-day conference brings together engineers, industry practitioners, suppliers and stakehol­ders from across Malaysia and the region.