Sandakan: The issue of water supply and sanitation in Kampung Melayu Bumiputera Sim Sim will be a key focus for Pakatan Harapan (PH) candidate for Tanjong Papat, Tang Szu Ching, in the 17th Sabah State Election. Tang, 29, who is contesting under the DAP banner, said she will prioritize addressing the garbage problem and the lack of a proper sewerage system in the water village to ensure better living conditions for residents.
According to BERNAMA News Agency, initiatives have been taken in collaboration with non-governmental organizations (NGOs) to install garbage traps, but Tang has emphasized that this approach is not sustainable and is easily swept away. She advocates for a more proactive step to address this issue, including collaboration with local authorities to implement garbage collection programs such as trash to cash, which also involve the local community.
Regarding efforts to encourage youth participation in business, especially in public markets, Tang said that this matter would also be given focus. She noted that a new policy introduced by the Sandakan Municipal Council (MPS) allocates 30 percent of trading opportunities in public markets to new traders, especially young entrepreneurs. Tang, who is also an MPS member, aims to bring the aspirations and concerns of the youth to the State Legislative Assembly’s attention.
On the issue of water supply disruptions, Tang mentioned that DAP leaders had installed 32 water tanks at each main bridge in Kampung Melayu Bumiputera Sim Sim as a short-term solution. She, along with Sandakan Member of Parliament Vivian Wong, has been working tirelessly to distribute water to water-based villages over the past week in response to the ongoing disruptions. Tang explained that since saltwater intrusion occurred at the Segaliud Water Treatment Plant (LRA), many pipes have begun to rust and clog, reducing water pressure and affecting water distribution to village areas. She stressed that worn-out pipes across Sandakan must be replaced in stages to minimize future water supply disruptions.