Latest news with #WaterMalaysia2025SpecialisedConferenceandExhibition
The Star
a day ago
- Business
- The Star
Fadillah: High time to reimagine water sector
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.
The Sun
2 days ago
- Business
- The Sun
Ministry to roll out ‘pipeline' to provide real-time info on water supply issues
KUALA LUMPUR: The Energy Transition and Water Transformation Ministry (Petra) will introduce a digital platform called Pipeline Accountability Portal to provide the public with real-time data on pipeline disruptions, leakage rates and repair timelines, said Minister Datuk Seri Fadillah Yusof. Fadillah who is also deputy prime minister said the initiative reflects the government's shift from reactive to proactive regulation by enforcing higher standards for pipeline quality, mandating inspections and publishing outcomes transparently through the portal. 'Trust must be earned and maintained. We need to strengthen public confidence in our water systems. This platform will give the rakyat real-time reporting on disruptions, leakage rates and resolution timelines,' he said at the Malaysian Water Association's Water Malaysia 2025 Specialised Conference and Exhibition today. The move comes amid longstanding challenges in Malaysia's water sector, including high non-revenue water (NRW) rates caused by leakages and aging pipelines. According to SPAN (National Water Services Commission), Malaysia's national average NRW has hovered around 35–40% in recent years. Sabah's NRW rate stands at 55.1%, the highest in the country, where more than half of treated water is lost before reaching consumers in the state, especially with Perlis (56.3%) and Pahang (52.8%) recording some of the highest levels in the country. Fadillah said Petra, together with the SPAN, is committed to driving change through a comprehensive policy and regulatory framework anchored on four key pillars: One: Efficiency First – Efficiency must be integrated from design to operation, considering not just initial costs but also full lifecycle value, environmental impact, and community benefit. Two: Digital Transformation – Harness IoT sensors, AI driven analytics, and smart DMZs to create responsive, predictive systems that detect leaks early and optimise pressure in real time. Three: Resilience Planning – Standardise durable materials and design networks that can adapt to climate change, urbanisation, and future needs. Four: Stakeholder Engagement – Ensure policies and technologies serve people, with inclusive engagement involving communities, regulators, and utilities. On financing transformation, Fadillah said policy shifts must be backed by funding models that reward innovation. He added that the government will restructure water utility funding through performance-linked mechanisms that incentivise efficiency and measurable outcomes. Furthermore, the government will mobilise green investment vehicles, including bonds, to accelerate sustainable infrastructure. 'These are not just financial instruments, but 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.
