FOR decades, a shallow well defiled by animal carcasses and rubbish has been the main source of water for villagers of the remote Kg Sg Tias in Kuala Krai, Kelantan.

The well collects rain and water seeping from the soil for residents of the village some 40km from Kuala Krai.

When drought hits, the well would dry up, forcing villagers to rely on a nearby river for their water needs.

Villagers Rohaida Yusuf and Norazizah Ismail told The Malaysian Insight that they have had to make do without a proper source of water for months.

“There has been no water since Chinese New Year,” they said.

“When the drought hit, we had to collect water from the river because the water source from the hills dried up,” said another resident, Mohd Nazri Abdullah.

Nazri, 42, a farmer who also rears livestock, said the drought from February to April, made life difficult for villagers, to the extent that many didn’t even have enough water to drink.

“Single mothers with no helping hands have had to fetch water from the river themselves. It was difficult to send kids to school without proper water supply,” he said.

The PAS-led Kelantan government, meanwhile, has done little to solve the decades-long problem, villagers said.

Nazri, however, said it did once help provide pipes to connect the shallow well to their homes.

“They provided the pipes but the water source was not clean and unfiltered.

“The well water contains all sorts of things… including the carcasses of wild boars. Sometimes, it is murky. We always have to wash the pipe head.”

Resident Nazir Esa, who runs a stall, said the villagers have no choice but to use the filthy river water to wash their homes.

“During the drought, we bought water. We survived on mineral water for drinking and cooking.”

Water, Land and Natural Resources Minister Dr A. Xavier Jayakumar said last September that Kelantan was among three states – apart from Sabah and Sarawak – where lack of access to clean water sources has reached critical levels.

Instead of from the state government, villagers in Sg Tias relied on civil society body Mercy Malaysia to build tube wells, with funding provided by Maybank Islamic under a two-year programme.

Mercy Malaysia’s communication and strategic engagement head Chan Li Jin told The Malaysian Insight that the village, along with nearby kampung, have long been in need of clean water supply.

“These places are quite remote and Kuala Krai is a big district. The state government lacks the financial resources to provide clean water to all these areas.

“The way Mercy works is that we fill the gaps for the government whenever it is necessary. We provide assistance where the government is unable to.”

The tube wells will accommodate the needs of 10 families.

Mercy on Monday held a health education workshop for the villagers.

While the village still lacks other modern amenities, the residents appeared content with Mercy Malaysia’s efforts to help them. – June 18, 2019.