PENAMPANG, Jan 18 — The construction of the Kaiduan dam to be implemented under the phase three Kota Kinabalu water supply scheme project is vital to meet the needs for clean water supply.

Deputy Chief Minister Tan Sri Joseph Pairin Kitingan said the project would would benefit five districts, namely Kota Kinabalu, Penampang, Putatan, Papar and Tuaran.

"With the changing weather and climate that is getting uncertain, water resources are dwindling while water consumption is expected to increase by 50 per cent for developing countries by 2025,” he said.

Pairin, who is also Sabah Infrastructure Development Minister, was speaking at a dialogue with residents directly involved under the third phase of the Kota Kinabalu water supply project (Empangan dam) here today.

"In Kota Kinabalu and its vicinity, the population is expected to increase by 1.2 million by 2020 compared to 878,000 at present,” he said adding that the existing water supply capacity of 439.5 million litres per day was sufficient only until 2022.

Pairin said the dialogue was aimed at listening and obtaining feedback from the stakeholders, especially villagers who would be affected if the proposed dam construction proceeded.

The proposal to build the dam, valued at RM2.8 billion, was first mooted in 2008.

According to the plan, the dam would supply water to Kota Kinabalu, Tuaran, Penampang, Putatan and Papar districts until 2050.

However the proposal raised concerns that the Sungai Papar ecosystem and tagal system based on the community’s fisheries management system of the residents along the river will be affected. — Bernama