'Federal gov't lets Syabas hold people to ransom'

By barring Selangor from taking charge of Syarikat Bekalan Air Selangor (Syabas), the special cabinet committee is allowing the water concessionaire to hold people of the state to ransom.

It seems the federal government is more interested in supporting a crony company like Syabas, whose chairperson Rozali Ismail was a former Selangor Umno treasurer, state executive councillor Dr Xavier Jayakumar told a press conference today. 

"This, rather than looking after the interests of the Selangor rakyat as a whole, especially on a vital issue such as water," Xavier said in blasting the cabinet committee after visiting the Sungai Semenyih water treatment plant.

Committee chairperson and Deputy Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin said earlier today the federal government has made an initial decision not to allow the Selangor government to take over the operations of Syabas.

'Syabas committing criminal contempt' 

Muhyiddin also said that there was no cause at present to ration water supply to Selangor and the surrounding areas of the Federal Territories.

Xavier said Muhyiddin's admission that there was no need for water rationing proved that Syabas had been committing a criminal contempt.

"It proves that Syabas created the crisis. 

"If the (special) cabinet committee says that there is no need for rationing water and there is no problem of pure water supply, than I hold Syabas for a criminal contempt in the terms of frightening the people of Selangor and talking about rationing the water," he added.

[More to follow]