Sudden Water Supply Cut by SWA Leaves Thousands Unprepared; Shoddy PR Response Sparks Public Outrage

(Miri, 26th) Without providing an appropriate prior notice, a sudden water supply disruption left thousands, possibly tens of thousands of users unprepared. The handling attitude of Sarawak Water Supply Company (formerly Northern Sarawak Water Supply Management Company) and its disregard for user rights have triggered widespread dissatisfaction.

 

Although the so-called PR team of the Sarawak Water Supply Company shares a communication group with all local media, they remained indifferent to the media until about 3 pm today. Media members living in the water supply disruption area discovered the supply cut firsthand by turning on their taps. It was only then that the company lazily sent a screenshot of a notice quietly uploaded to Facebook an hour earlier to the group, clearly showcasing their perfunctory attitude.

 

Further investigation by reporters revealed that the Sarawak Water Supply Company had already published a notice on their official website yesterday (March 25) stating that a leakage occurred in a 350mm water pipe near the overhead road on Jalan Southlake, Permyjaya, requiring repairs. The affected areas include Southlake residential area, and the notice clearly detailed the water supply disruption time from 2:30 pm to 7:30 pm on the 26th.

 

However, the puzzling aspect is that today's Facebook announcement from the company blatantly contradicts itself. It claims the disruption was "unpredictable" while at the same time they "foresaw" and listed detailed disruption information a day earlier (25th). If this were truly an unforeseen situation, how was the company able to predict the range and timing of the disruption a day in advance? If they were aware and had the time to post on their website, why not formally notify users earlier, instead of hurriedly posting on Facebook just an hour before the cut?

 

As the sole water supply institution in the Miri region, Sarawak Water Company bears a heavy responsibility and ought to handle any matters involving water supply with a professional attitude. However, facing a water supply cut affecting thousands of households, the company not only disseminated chaotic information but also responded shoddily and sluggishly in its PR efforts, blatantly ignoring user rights. How can such a lack of transparency and accountability align with public confidence? How can they shoulder the responsibility of ensuring the basic living needs of the people?