Water Woes? Not A Big Issue Because Villagers Know How To Dig Wells, Says Kelantan Leader
Caretaker Kelantan deputy menteri besar Datuk Mohd Amar Nik Abdullah said the water supply issues have been solved by sending out water trucks to affected areas.
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Some areas in Kelantan have been known to be suffering from water supply issues. Kelantanese locals have complained over the years that they either do not get water at all and if they do, the water comes out brown.
However, caretaker Kelantan deputy menteri besar Datuk Mohd Amar Nik Abdullah downplayed the water issue in the state and said it wasn’t a big deal since villagers knew how to dig their own wells to get by.
The villagers will think of their own solutions. They dig wells and get the water from underground. Not having tap water is not a big deal. They will figure it out themselves.
Caretaker Kelantan deputy menteri besar Amar Nik Abdullah
Air mato bey.
— pudyn zayn (@pudynzayn) August 6, 2023
Sek walaun duk backup ni minum air karat banyok lajok bokali. pic.twitter.com/Z5vgSPlenl
He added that the Kelantan state government wasn’t satisfied with the fund allocated by the federal government.
Amar said Kelantan needs “hundreds of millions of ringgit” to resolve water supply issues, but the state only received “millions of ringgit.”
He emphasised that the water supply issues in some areas had been solved by sending out water trucks.
We just didn’t promote the good news. I think that was our weakness.
Caretaker Kelantan deputy menteri besar Amar Nik Abdullah
Amar criticised Kelantan Barisan Nasional and DAP for constantly playing up the water supply issues but failed to list it as a priority in their election manifestos.
Last month, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim announced an RM800 million allocation to help resolve water woes in Kelantan and Sabah.
It’s true that villagers know how to dig wells
Some netizens have shared how locals in Kelantan have resorted to digging wells to access clean water. The locals have mastered the art of DIY to set up their own water filtration system.
A villager who showed journalist Hadi Azmi his manmade well and filtration system said he knows the water can never be truly clean, but at least it’s clear enough.
Hadi also saw 26,000-litre water tanks placed at intervals along the road for people to take water.
A woman he met at a restaurant showed the water pump she had to install to get water flowing as the pressure can be too low.
We took a drive along Jalan Salor and we saw these 26,000-liter water tanks placed at intervals along the road for people to take.
— Hadi Azmi (@amerhadiazmi) August 9, 2023
While the water is clean – and free – it is a loss of profit for the water company, meaning they can't improve their service. pic.twitter.com/U8KtC1rH8m
Do people need a license to dig a well in Kelantan?
Recently, a viral post claimed that the Kelantan government is suing locals who dug a well without a valid license.
Another netizen debunked the claim and alleged that the summons notice was for commercial businesses.
The netizen uploaded the same notice that was allegedly addressed to a business. In the viral post, the address was blanked-out.
In a 2021 report by Kosmo, the Kelantan State Water Resources Department said digging wells for domestic use did not require a license.
However, commercial businesses who want to dig their own well have to apply for a license for Groundwater Abstraction from the state Water Resources Department.
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