Kuching: ADUN for Pending Violet Yong has urged Kuching South City Council (MBKS) and Sarawak Water Sdn Bhd to immediately explain the cause of the ongoing water supply disruption at Kenyalang Food Centre, provide a timeline for permanent repairs and implement a long-term solution.
In a statement, Yong said the temporary placement of two water storage tanks was insufficient and did not resolve the underlying problem.
“The responsibility now lies squarely with MBKS and Sarawak Water Sdn Bhd to restore a reliable water supply and ensure that hawkers are not forced to continue bearing the consequences of this disruption,” she said.
Yong said she had received numerous complaints from hawkers at Kenyalang Food Centre, who have allegedly been facing daily water supply disruptions for the past two weeks.
“According to the hawkers, water supply has been cut off from around 6 pm every evening, affecting business operations during one of the busiest periods of the day,” she said.
She said the hawkers were informed that the disruption occurred after the main water pipeline supplying the food centre was damaged during construction work for the Autonomous Rapid Transit (ART) project in Kuching along Jalan Simpang Tiga.
Yong said the incident raised concerns over the implementation of the ART project by Sarawak Metro Sdn Bhd, claiming that the hawker centre had not experienced recurring water disruptions before construction began.
“The Sarawak GPS Government continues to promote the ART project as a symbol of development. But what is the point of pushing ahead with an expensive and impractical mega project when the State Government cannot even guarantee the uninterrupted supply of a basic necessity like water to hawkers?
“Before the ART project commenced, Kenyalang Hawker Centre never experienced such recurring water supply disruptions,” she said.
She also alleged that residents in Kuching have faced damaged roads, underground utilities, worsening traffic congestion, and prolonged construction works since the project commenced.
“Development should improve people’s lives, not make daily life more difficult. Infrastructure projects must never come at the expense of basic public services and the livelihoods of ordinary citizens,” she said.
Yong said the disruption had caused significant hardship for hawkers, as water is essential for food preparation, washing utensils, maintaining hygiene, and serving customers.
She added that relying on two storage tanks was merely a temporary stopgap measure and should not be regarded as a permanent solution.
Yong also criticised MBKS and Sarawak Water Sdn Bhd for failing to publicly explain the cause of the disruption or provide a timeline for permanent repairs.
She said the lack of communication was unacceptable and that affected hawkers deserved to know when the normal water supply would be restored.
