DPM: Selangor heading for water crisis
(The Star) KUALA LUMPUR: Selangor and the federal capital will face a serious water crisis in two years if water resources are not managed properly by the state government, said Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin.
And he told the people not to blame the Federal Government if this happens, saying that its efforts to ensure long-term supply were being stumped by the state government.
Muhyiddin said the Selangor Government’s move to provide free water and not increase tariff was taking a toll because it had to absorb the cost.
“They thought they were doing something popular with their election promise. They gave free water and promised that water prices would not go up.
“They are absorbing RM13mil a month and are facing big deficits.
“However, they say they cannot afford to pay (the concessionaires) if the cost keeps going up. If they don’t pay, the water processing companies will suffer losses as they too are facing problems as the cost of managing and processing water is very high,” he said when opening the Ampang Umno delegates meeting here yesterday.
Muhyiddin said people in Selangor and Kuala Lumpur would suffer a water crisis in two years unless the state government solves the water problem.
He said the Federal Government was facing stumbling blocks with the RM9bil Pahang-Selangor raw water transfer project because of the Selangor Government.
The Federal Government, he said, had held several discussions with the Selangor Government on the issue, including on the acquisition of land to build the Langat 2 water treatment plant for the project, which still had not been agreed upon by the state government.
“The state government has instructed its land offices and other departments not to cooperate with the Federal Government.
“We want to help out although land and water issues are under the state government. We do not want people to blame us,” he said, adding that Selangor could face bankruptcy if the deficits grew.
Muhyiddin said internal politicking in PKR and current troubles with the Selangor state government and Mentri Besar Tan Sri Khalid Ibrahim were not giving people confidence in their capabilities.
