Sultan: Impasse may cause Selangor taps to run dry
By Wong Chun Wai and Leong Meng Yee, The Star
PETALING JAYA: The Sultan of Selangor has warned of an imminent water crisis if the stand-off between the Federal and Selangor governments over an inter-state raw water transfer project is not resolved fast.
Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah voiced his disappointment that the issue had been politicised, adding that he did not want the people of Selangor to be the biggest losers should the taps run dry.
The Tuanku also warned of serious economic consequences if frustrated investors close their plants and pull out from the country if their factories are hit with constant water cuts or rationing exercises.
“The issue is long overdue. Get the deadlock resolved,” said the Sultan in an interview with The Star in conjunction with his 65th birthday next week.
Aides of the Sultan said he had been concerned about the water security issue for the past few years.
The sources said Sultan Sharafuddin had been writing letters to both federal and state leaders, urging for a solution to the water woes in the state.
“Unfortunately, there has been no reply. To say the Sultan does not care about the issue is untrue. It is not his style to hold press conferences to announce what he has done. Tuanku would rather work behind the scenes,” said the sources.
Sultan Sharafuddin called on the parties involved to put the interest of the state and its people first.
“I fear, if politics gets in the way, Selangor will have to pay a heavy price for the folly in future,” said the Tuanku.
The National Water Resources Study Report 2000-2050 projected that Selangor, Kuala Lumpur and Putrajaya would face water shortage by the end of 2014. The report is published by the Economic Planning Unit (EPU).
The impasse is over the proposed Pahang-Selangor raw water transfer project.
On Pahang’s side, the state started construction work for the water transfer project in April. Once completed in 2014, 1,890 million litres of raw water will be pumped daily from Sungai Semantan to the Hulu Langat water treatment facility in Selangor.
Energy, Green Technology and Water Minister Datuk Peter Chin Fah Kui said in July that the Federal Government asked Selangor to give its consent to construct the RM8.65bil Langat 2 water treatment plant.
Selangor Mentri Besar Tan Sri Khalid Ibrahim, in a statement in September, said the state had never objected to the Langat 2 project but saw no need for haste since the state projected there was enough water to meet demand until 2019.
The state administration wanted to give priority to resolving the issue on restructuring the water services industry in Selangor.
Negotiations have been deadlocked since last year.
Chin disagreed with Khalid’s insistence to link the Langat 2 project with the complex water restructuring exercise, which involves federal and state governments, as well as concessionaries.
