
Islanders forced to buy bottled water
Published on: Sun, Jul 06, 2025
By: Abbey Junior Text Size: Pulau Keniogan, a remote island off Beluran, remains without piped water access. BELURAN: More than 1,200 residents of Pulau Keniogan, a remote island off the eastern coast of Beluran, continue to rely on rainwater and shallow wells, decades after most of Sabah gained access to treated piped water. For the people here, every rainfall is a precious opportunity. Water is caught in tanks and containers when it pours, but when the dry spells come — and they often do — families must walk long distances to murky open wells.
Advertisement The water, often brackish and discoloured, is not just unpleasant — it's unsafe. 'We used to filter the well water. It was never great, but it was usable,' said Amsinah Gulam, who runs a small food stall on the island. Subscribe or LOG IN to access this article.
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Islanders forced to buy bottled water
Published on: Sunday, July 06, 2025 Published on: Sun, Jul 06, 2025 By: Abbey Junior Text Size: Pulau Keniogan, a remote island off Beluran, remains without piped water access. BELURAN: More than 1,200 residents of Pulau Keniogan, a remote island off the eastern coast of Beluran, continue to rely on rainwater and shallow wells, decades after most of Sabah gained access to treated piped water. For the people here, every rainfall is a precious opportunity. Water is caught in tanks and containers when it pours, but when the dry spells come — and they often do — families must walk long distances to murky open wells. Advertisement The water, often brackish and discoloured, is not just unpleasant — it's unsafe. 'We used to filter the well water. It was never great, but it was usable,' said Amsinah Gulam, who runs a small food stall on the island. Subscribe or LOG IN to access this article. Support Independant Journalism Subscribe to Daily Express Malaysia Access to DE E-Paper Access to DE E-Paper Exclusive News Exclusive News Invites to special events Invites to special events Giveaways & Rewards 1-Year Most Popular (Income Tax Deductible) Explore Plans Stay up-to-date by following Daily Express's Telegram channel. Daily Express Malaysia