Is Selangor being taken for a ride in water deal, ask Pakatan politicians
(TMI) – Has Putrajaya taken Selangor for a ride over the multi-billion-ringgit water deal that could see privatised concessions being nationalised?
That is the question asked by Pakatan Rakyat (PR) MPs and politicians who are overseeing the agreement between the federal Barisan Nasional (BN) administration and the Selangor government.
Recent statements from Putrajaya indicate that it does not see the terms of the deal the same way as Selangor does. Selangor continues to insist that the terms are still being followed.
“The statements appear to contradict the memorandum of understanding,” said former Kuala Selangor MP Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad, on Putrajaya’s statements that the restructured industry will be run by a federal agency – the National Water Services Commission (SPAN).
Dr Dzulkefly, who was part of a Selangor water panel to restructure the industry, said under the MoU, signed on February 26, a state-owned company, (Kumpulan Darul Ehsan Berhad) would run the restructured industry.
“(The federal government) seems to be oscillating… There is some hesitancy on using Section 114 of WSIA,” said Klang MP Charles Santiago on whether the federal government would use the law to take over the four concessionaires currently managing the industry.
Santiago said Putrajaya was still reluctant to use WSIA because it would send a wrong message to the business community.
“It’s really confusing,” he said of the different statements coming out of Selangor and Putrajaya.
Santiago also said he had not been able to get a clear answer either from the Energy, Green Technology and Water Ministry on whether Selangor or Putrajaya would run the industry once it was restructured.
