Farmers eking out a living in Kampung Air Hitam in Port Dickson, Negeri Sembilan, are up in arms over the lack of clean water supply to their settlement, despite having lived there for over 30 years.

Tamil daily Makkal Osai highlighted the predicament of the villagers, who said they had repeatedly voiced their grievances to the Negeri Sembilan water authority, Syarikat Air Negeri Sembilan Sdn Bhd (SAINS), but to no avail.

This has forced the villagers to resort to making their own wells to gain access to underground water, and during monsoon season, travel several kilometres to get clean water from a nearby farm.

S Lecthumanan, 45, who lives in the village, said he and his fellow villagers had made repeated pleas to SAINS officers and politicians alike, for clean water supply.

"The officers and politicians came, saw and left. Until today, there is yet to be a solution for our problems.

"We survive here by rearing cattle, goats and farming. But we don't have access to clean water. We are forced to dig wells and ponds to get water, but during the rainy season, we cannot use that water as it gets muddy and murky. We are then forced to travel about two kilometres to get water from a nearby chicken farm," he said.

The villagers also noted that there were three chicken farms nearby their settlement - all of which had its own water supply.

"How come the chicken farms get clean water, whereas our village does not?

"Are chickens more deserving of clean water than humans?" Lecthumanan asked.

When contacted by Malaysiakini, an officer from SAINS confirmed that the water authority had received complaints from the villagers.

He said the complaints were forwarded to the Rural and Regional Development Ministry, as the village in question is situated some two kilometres from the main pipe along the main road.

"The process of laying pipes to the village from the main pipe is currently pending approval from the ministry," he added.

He denied that the chicken farms had a clean water supply, as they were also located off the main road.