It looks as if the water shortages in Labuan, previously highlighted in this blog, have not yet been resolved, judging from this letter by an upset parent.
Since July-August 2009, many letters have been written to everybody and anybody in authority to resolve the major water crisis that has hit the Universiti Malaysia Sabah-Kampus Antarabangsa Labuan. Despite all the requests and pleas and the resulting promises, there seems to be no end to the water shortage crisis. If anything the situation has worsened, with the static tanks that have been set up not being filled up when empty. Invariably, students have to endure a day in every three days with ZERO water.
Many students have been spending time in town to find clean food as there is insufficient water to wash the dishes properly. My daughter had told me that many of the male undergraduates have resorted to staying at the Labuan International Airport from Friday to Sunday night, or whenever there is a holiday. The airport is the one place where there is regular water supply, air-conditioning, and Internet access. During the Mauladur Rasul holiday weekend, there were so many UMS-KAL students at the airport, that airport officials started to scold them and they were chased out from the airport.
The air-conditioning in many of the buildings in UMS-KAL has also been switched off as there is insufficient water for the air-conditioner cooling towers. In the last report from the Labuan Authority, they re-assured the undergraduates that a dozen tankers would be put into service from 1 February. However the hostel undergraduates have not seen any improvement except that the water smells of diesel as diesel tankers are believed to have been converted to water tankers without a thorough clean-up.
Is this how the Higher Education Ministry and the Government train and nuture the future professionals of this country? Are we telling them mediocrity is acceptable? There is no use even duscussing 2020 ‘developed nation’ status when a basic amenity like clean water supply cannot be provided to a university for the last one year. Tan Sri Koh Tsu Khoon, please do include this as one of the main KRA for 2010.
JKR Labuan, please do something fast, and Ministry of Higher Education, please don’t leave the students in a lurch. To the PM, all we are asking from 1Malaysia is 1Regular 1Water supply for our 1UMS-KAL.
Frustrated Parent
Butterworth
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