Kedah stopped selling treated water to Penang in 2020 citing insufficient supply for its own needs, Infrastructure, Transport and Digital exco Zairil Khir Johari said in the Penang legislative assembly today. - Screenshot, November 27, 2024
Kedah stopped sale of water to Penang: exco on residents, opposition calls to buy water from northern state
Zairil Khir Johari says that Penang is ready to do so if the need arises, but is banking on water supply projects underway in Seberang Perai Selatan to resolve shortages
R. Dineskumar
Updated 9 hours ago
27 November, 2024
12:43 PM MYT
GEORGE TOWN — Penang is ready to work with other state governments, including Kedah, to buy treated water, the state legislative assembly heard today.
State Infrastructure, Transport and Digital exco Zairil Khir Johari (Tg Bunga-PH) said the state had been buying water from its northern neighbour through the Lubok Buntar water treatment plant (WTP) in Bandar Baharu until Kedah suspended the sale of water to Penang four years ago.
Zairil told the Penang legislative assembly that in 2020, Kedah’s water company Syarikat Air Darul Aman (Sada) wrote to the Penang Water Supply Corporation (PBAPP) to suspend the sale as it did not have enough water for Kedah’s needs.
Zairil was responding to calls for Penang to buy treated water from Kedah via the Lubok Buntar WTP, as has been raised by residents in Sg Bakap and by opposition assemblymen.
Since Kedah suspended the sale of treated water, Penang has implemented several projects in Seberang Perai Selatan to resolve the situation, Zairil said.
These projects include upgrading the Bukit Panchor WTP to a higher production capacity, and construction of a compact WTP in Sg Kerian, to be completed by the first quarter of next year.
“However, should the need arise, the Penang government would not reject any cooperation with other state governments to ensure that the state’s water supply remains intact,” said Zairil in the legislative assembly.
He was responding to a supplementary question posed by Gooi Hsiao Leung (Bukit Tengah-PH) who asked whether the state government could consider purchasing treated water from Lubok Buntar WTP, as suggested by the state opposition.
Kedah lawsuit, Ulu Muda Basin Authority
Additionally, Zairil also dismissed talk of a lawsuit by Kedah against Penang to demand the latter to pay charges for raw water extracted from Sg Muda.
The exco said this was “empty chatter” as no case has been filed at the court yet, when asked by Lee Khai Loon (Machang Bubuk-PH) on the status of the suit.
To another question by Lee on for the federal government to create an Ulu Muda Basin Authority (UMBA) as proposed by Penang years ago, Zairil said Putrajaya is currently studying the existing models of basin authorities in other nations like Australia.
Creating the proposed authority requires the cooperation of involved states – Penang, Kedah and Perlis – and the federal government can play the role of a facilitator in this matter, Zairil said.
“It (Putrajaya) cannot not force (the creation of the basin authority) as water is a state’s right,” he added. – November 27, 2024
Kedah stopped sale of water to Penang: exco on residents, opposition calls to buy water from northern state
Zairil Khir Johari says that Penang is ready to do so if the need arises, but is banking on water supply projects underway in Seberang Perai Selatan to resolve shortages
R. Dineskumar
Updated 9 hours ago
27 November, 2024
12:43 PM MYT
GEORGE TOWN — Penang is ready to work with other state governments, including Kedah, to buy treated water, the state legislative assembly heard today.
State Infrastructure, Transport and Digital exco Zairil Khir Johari (Tg Bunga-PH) said the state had been buying water from its northern neighbour through the Lubok Buntar water treatment plant (WTP) in Bandar Baharu until Kedah suspended the sale of water to Penang four years ago.
Zairil told the Penang legislative assembly that in 2020, Kedah’s water company Syarikat Air Darul Aman (Sada) wrote to the Penang Water Supply Corporation (PBAPP) to suspend the sale as it did not have enough water for Kedah’s needs.
Zairil was responding to calls for Penang to buy treated water from Kedah via the Lubok Buntar WTP, as has been raised by residents in Sg Bakap and by opposition assemblymen.
Since Kedah suspended the sale of treated water, Penang has implemented several projects in Seberang Perai Selatan to resolve the situation, Zairil said.
These projects include upgrading the Bukit Panchor WTP to a higher production capacity, and construction of a compact WTP in Sg Kerian, to be completed by the first quarter of next year.
“However, should the need arise, the Penang government would not reject any cooperation with other state governments to ensure that the state’s water supply remains intact,” said Zairil in the legislative assembly.
He was responding to a supplementary question posed by Gooi Hsiao Leung (Bukit Tengah-PH) who asked whether the state government could consider purchasing treated water from Lubok Buntar WTP, as suggested by the state opposition.
Kedah lawsuit, Ulu Muda Basin Authority
Additionally, Zairil also dismissed talk of a lawsuit by Kedah against Penang to demand the latter to pay charges for raw water extracted from Sg Muda.
The exco said this was “empty chatter” as no case has been filed at the court yet, when asked by Lee Khai Loon (Machang Bubuk-PH) on the status of the suit.
To another question by Lee on for the federal government to create an Ulu Muda Basin Authority (UMBA) as proposed by Penang years ago, Zairil said Putrajaya is currently studying the existing models of basin authorities in other nations like Australia.
Creating the proposed authority requires the cooperation of involved states – Penang, Kedah and Perlis – and the federal government can play the role of a facilitator in this matter, Zairil said.
“It (Putrajaya) cannot not force (the creation of the basin authority) as water is a state’s right,” he added. – November 27, 2024
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