Selangor MB: More free water possible

SELANGOR residents may enjoy more free water without being hit by higher water tariffs if the State Government succeeds in reclaiming water management of the state.
Mentri Besar Tan Sri Abdul Khalid Ibrahim said they had consulted experts and evaluated the value of merging water assets owned by the state government and concessionaires.
“By achieving economies of scale, it is possible to even reduce water tariffs. Further­more, it is a higher risk to extend loans to private concessionaires compared with federal and state government bonds,” he said.
Khalid was speaking to reporters at the Parliament lobby after receiving a memorandum from Malaysian Trade Union Congress (MTUC) and Coalition Against Water Privatisa­tion (CAWP), who pledged their support for the state government’s initiative to reclaim management of water in Selangor.
He said that if the state earned higher profits from managing its own water, it would be passed down to the residents in the form of more free water, exceeding the current amount of 20 cubic metres.
“Also, with the present condition of the economy, it is not the right time to raise tariffs. And we will also use any extra revenue from the asset takeover to maintain and upgrade pipes and treatment plants to improve water quality and reduce non-revenue water,” he said.
In the memorandum, the two organisations called for the Selangor Government not to back down from reclaiming water management and reminded it of its promise to reduce water tariffs by 10% every year.
They added that when taking over water treatment in Selangor, water concessionaire Syabas had promised better water management and improved water quality while reducing the Government’s financial burden, but these claims were never realised.
On another matter, Khalid said he would decide on the status of Bukit Lanjan assemblyman, Elizabeth Wong, after she returns from leave on March 15.
Wong, 37, has offered to resign as assemblyman and state executive councillor after a controversy over the distribution of semi-nude pictures of her.