Drought-hit villagers in Sabah's interior appeal for water supply

The Star

19-05-2025

PAITAN: In remote Kampung Tangkarason, deep in the interior of Beluran, life is a daily struggle for survival with no piped water and a drought stretching into its second month.
The community of over 3,000 people, mostly farmers and fishermen, has little choice but to rely on muddy ponds and crocodile-infested rivers for their daily needs.
Tangkarason is in the Paitan sub-district, a remote and sparsely populated area known for its rugged terrain and scattered settlements.
For the people here, life has always meant hard work, with survival closely tied to the land and water around them.
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For village chief Mogak Majupi, 71, water is more than just a resource – it is a daily, exhausting ritual. His mornings start with a slow walk to the river, balancing empty buckets as he carefully steps over tree roots and soft mud.
The river is murky, its surface flecked with leaves and the occasional ripple hinting at something beneath. It is here that Mogak fills his buckets, knowing full well that the water is far from clean, yet vital for bathing, washing clothes, and cooking.
'I am appealing to the authorities to provide piped water to our village so that we can finally have access to clean water.
"The river water is not clean, but we have no choice,' he said while scrubbing his clothes at the jetty.
The situation is particularly dire during this dry season. The once-reliable shallow ponds have shrunk to little more than stagnant pools, their surfaces green with algae and contaminated with runoff from nearby plantations.
Retired teacher Sopirid Masandu, who has spent his entire life in the village, said the water crisis has left families struggling to maintain even basic hygiene.
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'The water shortage in this village has always been critical, especially during dry seasons.
"That's why we've asked for tanks so we can store rainwater,' he said, adding that without immediate intervention, the situation could become a full-blown health crisis.
Things are so bad that earlier this month, the Civil Defence Force (APM) confirmed that the available water sources in the area are not safe for drinking.
Without piped water or a consistent emergency supply, the villagers have little choice.
APM Paitan also recommended placing water tanks at strategic locations like village halls or the homes of village heads, as large water tankers cannot access many villages owing to poor road conditions.
'We are risking our lives daily just to get water. How much longer must we live like this?' Sopirid said, his voice tinged with a mix of frustration and resignation.
Despite the risks, villagers have no choice but to continue using these unsafe sources, with children often wading into the same waters where crocodiles are known to roam.
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For Mogak, every trip to the river is a reminder of his community's struggle: a slow, silent protest against the endless cycle of drought and neglect.
Efforts to secure a proper piped water supply have been ongoing since the 1970s.
According to villager Ronley Rumimbin, a visit by the district officer, Public Works Department (JKR), Water Department officials, and representatives from the affected villages was held on Thursday (May 15) to assess the situation.
Ronley said the Water Department is expected to follow up once a proper road is constructed, as the existing access route, previously used by the villagers, has been bought by a palm oil estate, leaving them to rely on estate roads to reach their homes.
'I just hope this can be done quickly, because during the drought it is very difficult for us,' he said, his voice a mix of hope and weary patience.
For now, the people of Tangkarason continue their quiet, determined fight for a better life – one bucket at a time.