Johor Sultan says ‘biggest mistake’ for state to privatise its water

(MMO) – Johor made a huge “mistake” in privatising its state water utility, which has since resulting in problems in the supply of water statewide, its Ruler Sultan Ibrahim Iskandar has said.

He admitted in an interview with The New Straits Times published today that the southern state’s current water supply crisis has been an ongoing problem since Syarikat Air Johor was privatised in 1999.

“The biggest mistake Johor ever made was to privatise Syarikat Air Johor,” Sultan Ibrahim was quoted saying.

He added that the state government was even forced to take some of the water for export to neighbouring Singapore as a temporary measure to ensure potable water for its people, after a drought earlier this year.

As such, he has suffered “sleepless nights”, and is now “cracking his head” together with his state mentri besar to come up with ways to improve Johor’s water supply management.

But the state monarch also candidly admitted that Johor only needed to look across the Causeway and learn from Singapore how to better manage its water supply system, and suggested the government consider recycling water meant for industrial use.

Sultan Ibrahim said that currently, there are industries in Johor’s Pasir Gudang district that is consuming water worth RM4 million, causing the taps in the nearby residential areas to run dry.

The state monarch also urged the federal authorities to consider Johor’s situation before inking any future water agreements with Singapore, to protect the interest of Malaysians in the state.

“When you make deals with Singapore and don’t refer to us when we share the same resources, our people are affected.”

Last month, Singapore announced that it is providing Johor with an additional six million gallons of treated water per day after the state’s water regulatory body made an urgent request.