SELANGOR STALEMATE WATERS DOWN INVESTMENTS

Even as we are buffeted by dry taps and a he said-she said finger pointing between Selangor state and Federal governments about the state’s water crunch, investments into the state have been hit.

The sad truth is Selangor can no longer cope with the ever increasing demand for water.

Last year, Syabas had to freeze hundreds of new applications for water supply from manufacturers, including world’s biggest rubber glove manufacturer, Top Glove and beverage manufacturer F&N.

Top Glove’s plan to build a corporate tower in Setia Alam was delayed, while F&N had to deal with significant losses as their new plant in Pulau Indah can’t operate for 5 days because there was no water.

Meanwhile, the Selangor Times reported that Selangor recorded the highest investments compared to other states with a total of RM7.68bil last year. The figure came from 186 approved projects which represents 16,076 job opportunities.

How does the Selangor state government plan to meet the demand for water for all these 186 projects when the existing facility can barely cope with current demand?

The Klang Valley needs additional water supply which means more sources of water and treatment capacity.

The restructuring exercise and the membrane technology proposed by the state government can't be considered as solutions as they don't address the issue of additional water sources and treatment facilities. The state government is desperately in need of a better alternative than membrane technology and slashing the rate of non-revenue water. It cannot continue to deflect the issue by proposing solutions that does not address the problem.

To simply rely on existing facilities to provide sufficient water supply to a growing population is just proof of idiocy.

Menteri Besar Tan Sri Khalid Ibrahim has vowed to take over all four water concessionaires and proceed with the restructuring of Selangor water industry within 14 days. This is not the first show of defiance from Tan Sri Khalid. He even went as far as willing to delay the Langat 2 project for 100 years.

But how does that address the problem of new water sources and more treatment capacity?

It seems the people of Selangor, Kuala Lumpur & Putrajaya will have to expect more water disruption in the future as the state government & federal government continue to play tug of war over the water issue.