THE federal government’s off-river storage facility or Takungan Air Pinggiran Sungai (TAPS) project in Malacca will solve the issue of limited raw water supply by seeking new sources of raw water in the state.

Caretaker prime minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob said the move is aimed at reducing Malacca’s dependence on raw water supply from other states, such as Johor and Negri Sembilan.

“The federal government has approved an allocation of RM350 million through the Environment and Water Ministry for the construction of TAPS in Tasik Biru to increase the number of raw water supply sources in the state. 

“As a long-term solution, the federal government has approved a sum of RM150 million under the 12th Malaysia Plan to channel raw water from TAPS to Jus Dam here, which is expected to be completed by 2028,” he said when launching the Chin Chin 3 Compact Water Treatment Plant in Jasin today. 

He said the federal government is implementing the TAPS project involving raw water in Jernih dam, Alor Gajah, with an allocation of RM234.7 million, with expected completion in 2026.

Other than the TAPS project, Ismail said a sum of RM600 million has been approved by the government through the Irrigation and Drainage Department for the construction of the dual-function pool in Krubong for flood mitigation and water supply.

He said the project is to upgrade the existing flood mitigation pool to a dual-function pool to prevent flooding that often occurs in the downstream areas of Sungai Melaka, while serving as a storage pool for raw water before it is channelled to the Durian Tunggal dam. 

Ismail said the federal government will always support the state government’s efforts, including in carrying out projects and studies to increase the state’s raw water resources, if it continues to be mandated in the general election (GE15). 

“This includes a feasibility study of Phase 3 of the Sungai Muar Raw Water Transfer Project to accommodate the increasing demands of Malaysian families in Malacca.

“The implementation of the project is important, in line with Malacca’s development as the country’s main tourist destination that guarantees the continuous generation of revenue and economic growth,” he said. 

Ismail said the government also supports the efforts of Syarikat Air Melaka Bhd (SAMB) to continue the floating solar panel project at the Phase 2 Water Treatment Plant at Jus dam if the same project at the Durian Tunggal dam is successfully implemented. 

He said the renewables project approved by the state government aims to study the feasibility of installing floating solar panels on the surface of the water with a capacity of 150MW at the Durian Tunggal dam to generate electricity for SAMB operations. 

“The implementation of the solar energy project is in line with the government’s aspiration towards achieving the status of a net-zero carbon nation by 2050,” he said. 

On the Chin Chin 3 Compact Water Treatment Plant, Ismail said it would benefit more than 100,000 Malaysian families in Malacca, especially in the Jasin and Merlimau districts. 

He said the construction of the plant cost RM40 million and it is one of SAMB’s initiatives to help the state government and people who had suffered from drought and water rationing from January to March 2020.

The plant operates using a raw water line from Tasik Biru, which is a former mining pool that is no longer in use. – Bernama, October 14, 2022.