Seawater desalination system to address water supply issues in Sabah

KOTA KINABALU (Oct 23): Jetama Sdn Bhd (JSB), a subsidiary of Sabah Development Berhad (SDB) under the State Ministry of Finance, continues to lead efforts in addressing water supply issues in Sabah by introducing a seawater desalination system.

The system was showcased at the Conference of the ASEAN Federation of Engineering Organizations (CAFEO 42) at the Sabah International Convention Centre (SICC) from October 22 to 24.

This system is capable of desalinating seawater into reverse osmosis (RO) water, which can be used as an industrial water supply.

Through this innovative approach, treated water previously used by industries can now be redirected to local communities, helping to alleviate the shortage of water for domestic use.

According to JSB Chief Executive Officer Datuk Ahmad Naim Uddang, the system is designed in a modular, mobile form, allowing for quick installation and the provision of water to Sabah’s rapidly growing industrial parks.

He stated that the installation process takes between five to six months and the system can also be equipped with solar power and batteries for areas lacking sufficient electricity supply or those dependent on diesel generators.

On the first day of the CAFEO Conference, Sabah Deputy Chief Minister III and Minister of Works Datuk Ir Shahelmey Yahya witnessed a demonstration of the desalination system in action.

He saw how the filtration and desalination processed seawater into drinkable water after passing through nano filtration and ultraviolet (UV) treatment.

Shahelmey praised JSB’s initiative, describing it as a significant achievement for the Sabah government-linked company (GLC), and expressed hope that the system would soon be implemented to meet the industrial sector’s water demand in Sabah.