'Just being direct,' Guan Eng says on scolding Penang Water boss

'Just being direct,' Guan Eng says on scolding Penang Water boss


Former Penang chief minister Lim Guan Eng has downplayed an incident in which he was caught on video telling off the head of the state's water company.

This is over alleged poor preparation for a public response to planned water cuts in the state.

Kwong Wah Daily cited Lim as saying that he was just being direct and relaying the people's thoughts when confronting Penang Water Supply Company (PBAPP) chief executive officer K Pathmanathan.

He said the closed-door briefing - believed to have involved PBAPP, state legislators and agencies - was held on Jan 3.

He declined to comment further, including on whether he was upset with the person who leaked the video of his tirade.

Penang is scheduled to have a four-day water supply shutdown starting Wednesday (Jan 10) that is expected to affect 80 percent of the state's residents.

The scheduled disruption is to facilitate repair works.

In a video, which went viral yesterday, Lim tells off Pathmanathan for reportedly putting the burden of having an adequate water supply during the disruption on the people.

"Don't say it is the people's responsibility (to keep water), it is the (state) government's responsibility to give water," he said.

FMT, citing those at the meeting, said the outburst was in response to Pathmanathan saying that it was the public’s responsibility to store at least two days’ worth of water at all times.

Lim, in turn, argued that Penang homes don't have enough space to store that much water.

As such, he said the state and PBAPP should spend more to have more water tankers and storage tanks ready.

Yesterday, it was reported that PBAPP would be deploying 99 water tankers to deliver water to Penangites.