We’re all well aware of the water problems that are most prominent in Selangor and Kelantan. While Selangorians deal with unscheduled water cuts every two weeks, the people of Kelantan have not been getting clean water for years now.
In fact, just over two months ago, a video went viral showing the water in Kelantan changing colours from “Teh Ais” to Americano. Commenting on Kelantan’s water woes, Water and Environment Minister Tuan Ibrahim Tuan Man said that it would take 30 to 40 years for Kelantan to solve its floods and water supply problems.
For the people in Kampung Tok Puchong, Kota Bharu, Kelantan, their prayers have been answered after 30 years when they finally got their supply of clean water.
Harian Metro reported that Air Kelantan Sdn Bhd (AKSB) started supplying clean water to nine houses for starters and all of them could not contain their excitement when clean water came out of the pipes outside and inside the house.
Ismail Hamat, 67, said previously he had to commute back and forth several times on his motorcycle carrying 10 litres of filtered water from a machine about 300 meters away from his home to get clean water supply. Ismail couldn’t help but shed tears about how happy he is now with clean water supply.
“My family and I can now shower more than once a day. When the clean water first came, I was just gargling several times and washing my face because it is no longer salty and brackish like the tube well water before.”
Ismail’s family consists of the six of them including two of his special children, Ahmad, 39, who’s mentally challenged and can not speak since infancy, and Mohd Suhaimi, 31, who is bedridden since three years ago as a result of a heat stroke. Undoubtedly, he’s relieved he no longer has to go back and forth to buy water.
His wife is thankful that their plates will no longer be rusty and the clothes will also return clean without yellowish colour as they were using the tube well water previously.
“Almost half of my life is spent transporting water and a lot of money is spent on it, even my grandchildren rarely visit due to water problems and do not want to burden us.”
Ismail thanked activist group, Cempaka Merah Asnaf Society who have strived endlessly to solve their problems.
It’s upsetting that some of us take water for granted when there are people who’ve been living with low-quality water for almost all their lives. Who do we blame for this? Governments may change but it seems like solving people’s problems is the last thing on the minds of people in power.
Also read: “Water is necessary!” World-Renowned Scientist Speaks Up About Air Selangor Issue
