Deputy prime minister Fadillah Yusof said these projects are among the government’s initiatives to tackle the southwest monsoon, which is expected to bring dry weather and drought, reported Bernama.

Fadillah, who is also the energy transition and water transformation minister, said 28 projects were being implemented under this initiative as of May.

Twelve projects are being carried out in Sabah, five in Sarawak, three each in Pahang and Terengganu, two each in Kedah and Perlis, and one in Kelantan.

“These projects are at various stages of implementation and seven are expected to be completed this year,” he told reporters after attending an Aidiladha sacrificial event at Kampung Tupong Jaya in Kuching, Sarawak, today.

Fadillah said his ministry is now focusing on addressing the issue of non-revenue water (NRW), which results from factors such as system inefficiencies, pipe leakages, and water theft.

“When pipe connections are poor, leakages occur, and there are also old pipes that are damaged. Overall, we estimate the country is losing about 40% of its treated water to NRW. We process the water, but 40% of it is lost. This incurs high costs.

“Therefore, our current focus is to find the best method to reassess the piping system and replace damaged pipes.”