By BERNAMA
Over 100 companies which provide about 25,000 jobs have been forced to withdraw from investing in Selangor because of the water supply crisis.
Batang Kali State Assemblyman, Datuk Isa Abu Kassim said the Selangor government did not cooperate with concession companies as it wanted to foil their operations, resulting in no water supply security.
“This is a great loss to Selangor people. While we want to increase income and improve our standard of living, the jobs disappeared just like that,” he told Bernama here today.
The agenda of the Pakatan Rakyat government was to takeover Syarikat Bekalan Air Selangor (Syabas) and Puncak Niaga Holdings Berhad which had for ten years managed water well as there was no political interference.
Isa said to show that Syabas was beset with problems, the Selangor government froze capital expenditure to the company to show that Syabas failed to manage water.
“They blocked Syabas to takeover the water company. Various reasons are cited including Syabas is a crony of Umno but in fact they want the concession.”
He questioned how Syabas could have failed as the Selangor government has 30percent stake in the concession companies.
“The Selangor government has the power to raise or lower tariffs and providecapital expenditure. It is proof that the Selangor government is incapable ofmanaging the water industry via restructuring just like the failure to manage the sand industry.
“The Selangor government wants to make sand mining a major industry. If theydo what is planned, Selangor will not be peaceful and clean as there will be sand mines all over. This is very dangerous.”
Isa said the Selangor government not only failed to address the water supply crisis but tried to cover weaknesses by taking over the concession companies to divert attention.
“We will face shortage of treated water from 2014, not who to manage water and need a new plant to meet the water needs of consumers. The 34 treatment plants are operating over the maximum capacity.
“That is why we need Langat 2 plant to meet the needs of consumers in Kuala Lumpur, Putrajaya and Selangor. This is the basis, not who wants to sell wateror who gets to become the water boss.”
Isa said the federal government thought about the plant 16 years ago and feared what would become of Selangor ten years from now if no new plants werebuilt.
“The Selangor Menteri Besar wanted to divert the people’s attention for his failure to give free water to all. It is just a political gimmick. What’s the use of free water when the tap are dry?
He said a good administrator knows whose interest should be protected and should negotiate with the federal government and the people for a win-win situation.
– BERNAMA