Sungai Manila YB denies claims he failed to act on water woe
Published on: Wed, Jun 18, 2025
By: Winnie Kasmir Text Size: Mokran emphasised that the Sabah State Water Department is currently constructing five large water tanks around Sandakan, but the projects had yet to be completed. SANDAKAN: Sungai Manila Assemblyman Datuk Mokran Ingkat denied claims that he failed to take action over the prolonged water supply issue affecting Kampung Rancangan Luboh and surrounding areas, here. He said the issue had persisted for over seven years and involved a large portion of the district, not just one village.
Advertisement 'I understand the situation. On June 13, I attended a briefing with the district water engineer and was informed that the issue affects many areas, not just Kampung Rancangan Luboh,' he said in a statement. According to Mokran, several measures had been taken, including the installation of a 2,400-litre water tank in the village in 2021. 'Additional tanks were also proposed, but the application to the Sandakan Municipal Council (MPS) was rejected due to his status as a non-government assemblyman. 'I do not have full executive power. This is the limitation faced by the opposition. Still, I continue working for the people's benefit,' he said. Mokran emphasised that the Sabah State Water Department is currently constructing five large water tanks around Sandakan, but the projects had yet to be completed. He said pipe leaks caused by increased water pressure had also contributed to the delays. He stressed that the core problem lies in the failure of implementation by departments and agencies, not due to elected representatives neglecting their duties. 'I urge for the baseless accusations against me to be retracted immediately,' he said. He also questioned the effectiveness of deploying only two water supply trucks to cover the entire area, saying the demand far exceeds that capacity. Mokran revealed that he had brought in experts from the Sirim Institute in Kedah to explore alternatives, including the proposal to install a 2,000-litre-per-day water treatment plant. However, the plan was hindered by political and administrative constraints. 'I see myself as an opposition assemblyman without full authority, but I have never stopped raising the water issue at every State Assembly sitting,' he said. Mokran, who is also Umno Libaran Division Deputy Chief, urged all relevant agencies and ministries to treat the issue with urgency and to prioritise long-term solutions, not only for water but also persistent problems such as power supply, education and road conditions. * Follow us on our official WhatsApp channel and Telegram for breaking news alerts and key updates! * Do you have access to the Daily Express e-paper and online exclusive news? Check out subscription plans available.
Stay up-to-date by following Daily Express's Telegram channel. Daily Express Malaysia
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Sun
11 minutes ago
- The Sun
Ukrainian drones attack Russian oil refinery and hospital in Volgograd
DEBRIS from destroyed Ukrainian drones sparked fires at an oil refinery and a hospital roof in Russia's Volgograd region, the administration of the southwestern Russian region said on Tuesday in a post on the Telegram messaging app. 'Firefighters are working on site trying to contain and extinguish the fires,' the administration cited the region's governor, Andrei Bocharov, as saying in its post. 'According to preliminary information, there are no injuries.' Russia's civil aviation authority Rosaviatsia said on Telegram that flights in and out of Volgograd were halted for about three hours overnight. The scale of the attack was not immediately clear. Bocharov called the drone strikes 'massive'. Reuters could not independently verify the report and there was no immediate comment from Ukraine. Kyiv says its strikes inside Russia are in response to Moscow's continued attack throughout the war and are aimed to undermine infrastructure integral to Russia's military, including energy infrastructure. The Volgograd oil refinery, which belongs to Russian oil giant Lukoil's had already been shut down after being hit by drone attacks, two sources familiar with the matter said on Monday. Oil processing at the Volgograd refinery has been halted at least until the middle of September, the sources said. In 2024 the Volgograd refinery processed 13.7 million metric tons of oil, or 5.1% of the total volume at Russian refineries. - Reuters
Daily Express
2 hours ago
- Daily Express
Beaufort rally lays five demands to end bullying
Published on: Tuesday, August 19, 2025 Published on: Tue, Aug 19, 2025 By: Ahmad Apong Text Size: BEAUFORT: The Solidariti Aman Beaufort organisers will submit a memorandum to Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim's office calling for immediate action to eliminate the culture of bullying in schools. Its Organising Chairman Mohammad Norizhuan Awang said this during a peaceful solidarity rally attended by some 15,000 people in Bandar Minggo on Saturday, calling for justice for Zara Qairina. Advertisement 'We express our deepest empathy to Zara's family, especially her mother and affirm our commitment to ending the bullying culture starting now,' Mohd Norizhuan said. The memorandum outlines five key demands to the government: First, for amendments to the Education Act 1996 to include specific anti-bullying provisions with clear definitions of physical, mental and cyber bullying, along with appropriate punishments based on severity levels. Second, collaboration between the Education Ministry, Health Ministry and Women, Family and Community Development Ministry to establish mandatory anti-bullying education modules in all primary and secondary schools. Third, for Independent School Bullying Prevention Committees in each state involving NGOs, parents and psychology experts to regularly monitor and audit bullying cases. Fourth, that serious bullying cases be referred to the police rather than handled solely through internal school mechanisms; and Fifth, demand the provision of child-friendly emergency anti-bullying hotlines that are easily accessible to students. 'We urge authorities not to disappoint our hopes and those of all Malaysians. Zara's case should be given top priority until it is resolved fairly and completely,' Mohammad Norizhuan said. The rally featured speeches by NGO representatives, poetry recitations and a Solidarity Pledge. The organisers also opened public signatures for the 'Beaufort Community Memorandum' to ensure the event has long-term impact. * Follow us on our official WhatsApp channel and Telegram for breaking news alerts and key updates! * Do you have access to the Daily Express e-paper and online exclusive news? Check out subscription plans available. Stay up-to-date by following Daily Express's Telegram channel. Daily Express Malaysia
The Sun
2 hours ago
- The Sun
Putin and Trump discuss raising Ukraine talks level, Kremlin confirms
RUSSIAN President Vladimir Putin and U.S. President Donald Trump discussed the idea of 'raising the level of representatives' at Ukraine talks in a 40-minute call following the U.S. leader's meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy, the Kremlin said on Tuesday. 'The idea was discussed that it would be worthwhile to explore the possibility of raising the level of representatives from the Ukrainian and Russian sides—that is, those representatives participating in the mentioned direct negotiations,' Kremlin aide Yuri Ushakov said in audio remarks posted on the Kremlin's Telegram channel. Trump held a Monday meeting in Washington with Zelenskiy and other European partners. The U.S. president said it was 'very good' and that he had begun arrangements for a meeting between Putin and Zelenskiy after a subsequent call with Putin. Ushakov in his remarks did not specify what he meant by raising the level at meetings, and did not directly address the possibility of a trilateral meeting between the leaders. 'Vladimir Putin and Donald Trump agreed to maintain close contact with each other on the Ukrainian issue and other pressing topics on the international and bilateral agenda,' Ushakov said. 'The conversation was frank and highly constructive in nature.' Trump told Zelenskiy on Monday that the United States would help guarantee Ukraine's security in any deal to end Russia's war, though the extent of any promised assistance was not immediately clear. - Reuters
