Selangor water deal stays, even if there’s new MB
(Bernama) – The signing of the “heads of agreement” on restructuring of the Selangor water industry cannot be annulled by a change in the Selangor menteri besar.
Dean of Universiti Utara Malaysia (UUM) Law, Government and International Studies College, Associate Prof Dr Ahmad Martadha Mohamed said the agreement was valid between the federal and state governments.
The agreement was not based on an individual’s policy but made to solve the water supply problem, which has been plaguing the Klang Valley and Putrajaya since 2008.
“If the new menteri besar wants to annul the agreement, there will be legal implications.
“The agreement is bound to have terms on withdrawal by any party, including compensation and other possible penalties,” he said.
On Friday, the federal government and the Selangor government signed the HoD on restructuring the water industry and to find a long-term solution to the water woes.
The federal government was represented by Energy, Green Technology and Water Minister Datuk Seri Dr Maximus Ongkili while the Selangor government was represented by Selangor Menteri Besar Tan Sri Abdul Khalid Ibrahim.
The HoD is an extension of the memorandum of understanding (MoU) signed by both parties on February 26 on the Langat 2 Water Treatment Plant project (LRAL2) and its distribution system.
Commenting on the new agreement amid the squabbling over the MB post, Ahmad Martadha said it was not signed hastily.
“A change in the MB in Selangor has no bearing on the agreement as discussions on resolving the issue in the state have long been carried out by both sides.
“Bear in mind that the federal and the Selangor governments have legal departments and experts who would have perused the agreement for the wellbeing of the people,” he added.
Association of Water and Energy Research Malaysia president S. Piarapakaran said all obstacles to the restructuring of the Selangor water industry could be resolved with the conclusion of the HoD.
“The agreement is crucial to ensure that restructuring of the water services industry proceeds smoothly, as Selangor is a major development zone with the highest population density in the country.”
He said several measures should be put in place to solve the medium- and short-term shortage of water in Selangor before the agreement kick in by 2017.
Among them was the introduction of a pre-treatment system to reduce the ammonia content in raw water for the water treatment plants in Bukit Tampoi and LRA Batu 11 Cheras.
Piarapakaran said the monitoring of Sungai Selangor should be tightened and the critical level of the dam should be raised to 50%.
The current critical level set by the Selangor government at 30% was too low as the dam supplied raw water to almost 60% of Selangor and Kuala Lumpur.
