MUAR , 27 November 2024 – Micron Technology, a leading US-based memory chip company, has partnered with Global Peace Foundation Malaysia to bring sustainable clean water access to over 2,000 Orang Asli residents in Johor and Negeri Sembilan. The project will implement a gravity-fed water system to provide a reliable source of clean water to these communities.
The collaboration is part of Micron’s broader commitment to corporate social responsibility (CSR), with the AquaConnect Project as a key initiative. Micron’s Corporate Vice President for Assembly and Test NAND Operations in Singapore and Malaysia, Amarjit Sandhu, emphasized the company’s dedication to supporting sustainable development. “Over the next 12 months, 460 families will benefit from this project,” he shared, noting that the water supply system will be sourced from a nearby river.
Dignitaries, community leaders, Micron employees, and the Global Peace Foundation team come together to celebrate the launch of the AquaConnect project.
The launch event was attended by various dignitaries, including Datuk Ashari Md Sarip, Chairman of the Maharani State, and three representatives from each village: Kampung Sungai Mahang in Negeri Sembilan, and Kampung Sungai Mering, Kampung Kudung, and Kampung Kemidak in Johor.
Also present were Mr. Zamri Bin Awang Deris, Head of the Socioeconomic Development Unit at JAKOA Negeri Sembilan, and Ms. Siti Fatimah, District Officer of JAKOA Seremban, Port Dickson, and Rembau.
Addressing the challenge of clean water inaccessibility
Mamak Panjang, a community leader from Sungai Mahang, expressed heartfelt gratitude for the project, emphasizing how much the community appreciates the support and their excitement to welcome the initiative.
“On behalf of our communities, we thank you for addressing our water challenges. Water is the source of life and well-being, and when it becomes contaminated, it leads to sickness. We hope that this project will improve our water sources and protect our health,” he shared.
For many, having a tap with clean, flowing water at home is a simple part of daily life. However, for these villagers, the lack of a sustainable clean water source has been a constant challenge.
The need for intervention is clear. Many of the communities have struggled with deteriorating gravity-fed water dams, damaged pipelines, and inadequate water storage facilities, which have left them without reliable access to clean water.
Kg. Sungai Mahang (Negeri Sembilan) faces water supply disruption due to damaged water tank and broken pipes
Kg. Kemidak’s (Johor) aging dam failed due to floodwaters, emphasizing the critical need for long-term water systems
A 10-year commitment to long term solutions
The team in front of Micron’s office, celebrating the launch of the AquaConnect project
Global Peace Foundation Malaysia’s decade-long effort to improve water and sanitation for Orang Asli communities began with the distribution of LifeStraw filters, a simple yet effective solution for providing safe drinking water.
This initiative has since grown into a more sustainable solution, with the implementation of gravity-fed water systems designed to ensure long-term access to clean water. Beyond addressing immediate needs, the project aims to build lasting infrastructure that empowers these communities, providing them with the resources to thrive for generations.
Written by,
Sofia Aminudin
