National Focus on East Sabah’s Energy and Water Security Amid Repeated Outages

14 October 2025

SANDAKAN: Sandakan Member of Parliament from DAP, Vivian Wong Shir Yee, called for East Coast Sabah’s energy and water security to be elevated to a national strategic priority during her intervention in the 2026 Budget debate at the Dewan Rakyat today.

She stressed that the government must take decisive action to prevent a repeat of last month’s 15-hour power blackout and three-day water disruption, incidents that highlighted the region’s fragile infrastructure.

Wong cited the 13 September incident, where heavy rain and landslides caused the collapse of a transmission tower, crippling the power grid from Sandakan to Tawau and affecting more than 1.5 million residents.

“When the collapse of a single tower can plunge half a state into darkness, this is no longer merely a utility issue — it is a matter of national security,” she asserted.

While welcoming the long-delayed RM765 million allocation for the Southern Link Transmission Line project, Wong emphasised that “this is only the first step.” She urged the government to build a new power plant of at least 300MW capacity in East Sabah to ensure a sustainable and stable energy supply.

On the issue of water, Wong noted that the Segaliud Water Treatment Plant can no longer meet current demand and must be upgraded through Phase 2 implementation and replacement of its ageing main pipes.

“The plant was built in 2009, but with population growth, ageing equipment, and the saltwater intrusion incident two years ago that damaged key pipes, residents are now frequently facing low water pressure and supply disruptions,” she said.

She stressed that energy stability translates directly into water stability, calling on the government to clarify how much of the RM1 billion allocation to upgrade Sabah’s water supply system will be channelled to Sandakan, and to provide a detailed list of the related projects.

Balanced Development for Secondary Cities

Wong also pointed out that Malaysia’s transport development has long been concentrated in major cities such as Kuala Lumpur. She said it is time for the government to prioritise secondary cities in Sabah and Sarawak to achieve balanced national development.

She praised the Transport Ministry’s success with the MyBas system in Kota Kinabalu, which offers safe, punctual, and cashless bus services under the My50 travel pass that helps reduce living costs.

“I hope the MyBas system can be extended to Sandakan, making it the first East Coast city in Sabah to have a modern public transport system. Imagine the pink MyBas buses on Sandakan’s roads — not just a transport upgrade, but a symbol of progress,” she said.

Wong also welcomed the announcement of two additional aerobridges at Sandakan Airport to enhance passenger safety and comfort. She further proposed the implementation of the Electronic Pre-Alert Manifest (e-PAM) system at secondary airports such as Sandakan to speed up air cargo processing — particularly for e-commerce and cold chain logistics — which she said would create jobs and stimulate the local economy.

In addition, she urged the government to allocate funds to deepen the Sandakan Port access channel to allow larger vessels to dock.

“Once deepened, the port could become a key transhipment hub linking the Makassar Strait and strengthening Malaysia’s maritime position within the BIMP-EAGA region,” she added.

From Budget Numbers to Real Impact

Wong reminded both the Federal and State Governments that Sabah’s RM6.9 billion development budget and RM600 million special grant must translate into high-impact projects that benefit the people.

“Big budget figures mean nothing without efficient implementation and transparent governance. Only through effective execution, strict monitoring, and strong integrity can the 2026 Budget truly deliver change for the people of Sabah,” she said.

She concluded her speech by expressing her support for the 2026 Budget and pledged to continue monitoring the implementation of all major projects in Sabah, especially in Sandakan, to ensure that “every ringgit spent truly benefits the people.”