MIRI: Sarawak is likely to provide clean water to its neighbours Sabah and the Indonesian province of Kalimantan should there be a surplus in supply in the future, said Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Tun Openg.

He said this can be materialised through an efficient water management that can be achieved when the Sarawak Water Supply Grid Programme is completed in 2025.

Through the programme, he said the state water supply management would be placed under a single operator compared to the current three entities, namely the Kuching Water Board, Sibu Water Board and the Northern Region Water Board (LAKU), he added.

Abang Johari said by having a single water regulatory body, Sarawak will have a data centre for efficient management that may lead to excess in water supply.

"If we can manage it well, we will have a surplus water supply that we can share with others," he said in his speech at the ground breaking ceremony of the LAKU Management Sdn Bhd Corporate Office here today.

Abang Johari said the provision of electricity and water supply infrastructure in Sarawak was a prerequisite to achieve the status of high income and developed state by 2030.

He said the Sarawak government has always emphasised the importance of water and electricity infrastructure investments to increase the state's gross domestic product from RM130 billion recorded in 2019 to RM280 billion in 2030.

At the ceremony, Abang Johari also witnessed the handing over of Bukit Selatan Reservoir which has the capacity of 27 megalitres per day from the Rural Water Supply Department to LAKU Management Sdn Bhd.

-- BERNAMA