Upper Padas Power Sdn Bhd (UPPSB) has formally assumed control of the development grounds for the Ulu Padas Water Supply Scheme (SBAUP) following the site handover from Tuan Chee Chun Chieh (Director of Sabah State Water Department) to Datuk Ir. Ts. Adzmir Abd Rahman (Chairman of UPPSB). The transition ceremony, conducted earlier today in Lok Kawi, signifies the official start of the project construction.
The ceremony was witnessed by Datuk Seri Panglima Dr. Joachim Gunsalam (Deputy Chief Minister 1 and Minister of Works and Utilities, Sabah), Datuk Ridhwan Roger Linus (Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Works and Utilities, Sabah) and Datuk Annuar Ayub (Chairman of Sabah Energy Corporation), marking a significant milestone in the state’s pursuit of long-term water security under the Sabah Maju Jaya roadmap.
The SBAUP project is designed to meet the growing demand for treated water in Sabah’s west coast corridor, including Kota Kinabalu, Beaufort, Sipitang, and Kuala Penyu. With an ultimate design capacity of 950 million litres per day (MLD), the scheme leverages a “bolt-on” design with the existing Ulu Padas Hydroelectric Project, optimising resources and minimising environmental impact.
This site handover ceremony marks the start of a 42-month journey to secure Sabah’s water future, designed to bridge the gap between urban and rural needs. Phase 1 of the SBAUP is scheduled for completion by end 2029, delivering a 350 MLD water treatment plant in Beaufort and over 200km of pipelines spanning Sipitang to Kota Kinabalu, to provide immediate relief and stability to the state’s water grid.