The Selangor opposition has offered to join hands with the Pakatan-led government to oppose any attempt by state water concessionaire Syabas to raise water tariffs if these burden the rakyat.
“We on the this side will also join with the state government to fight against it, if they (Syabas) attempt to raise water tariffs such that the rakyat is burdened,” opposition leader Mohamad Satim Diman (left) told the Selangor legislative assembly during the winding up on the Supplementary Budget Bill today.
Mohamad Satim said this when intervening during the winding up by Selangor exco member for Health, Plantation Workers, Poverty and Compassionate Government Dr Xavier Jayakumar.
Xavier was answering questions about the Langat 2 water treatment plant and the state of water supply in Selangor, as it is currently under the management of Syabas.
The state opposition leader, who is the assemblyperson for Seri Serdang, was arguing that if the state government was concerned that Syabas may hike tariffs up to 75 percent in order to absorb the cost of the RM4.8 billion Langat 2 water treatment plant, it could approve the facility conditionally.
“We on the this side will also join with the state government to fight against it, if they (Syabas) attempt to raise water tariffs such that the rakyat is burdened,” opposition leader Mohamad Satim Diman (left) told the Selangor legislative assembly during the winding up on the Supplementary Budget Bill today.Mohamad Satim said this when intervening during the winding up by Selangor exco member for Health, Plantation Workers, Poverty and Compassionate Government Dr Xavier Jayakumar.
Xavier was answering questions about the Langat 2 water treatment plant and the state of water supply in Selangor, as it is currently under the management of Syabas.
The state opposition leader, who is the assemblyperson for Seri Serdang, was arguing that if the state government was concerned that Syabas may hike tariffs up to 75 percent in order to absorb the cost of the RM4.8 billion Langat 2 water treatment plant, it could approve the facility conditionally.
The approval agreement Mohamad Satim said, could have a condition that Syabas is not allowed to increase tariffs. It was to this that he pledged the support of the opposition to oppose any tariff hike.
However, Xavier (left) questioned the eagerness of BN asemblypersons to see the Langat 2 water processing and transfer tunnel be approved.
“Maybe somebody has received something from the consortium that got the project?” he asked, alluding that someone may have been paid a commission from the project, which in total costs more than RM8 billion, inclusive of the water transfer tunnel and treatment plant.
This raised the ire of BN’s Batang Kali assemblyperson Mohd Isa Abu Kasim, who said that he too could say that the Pakatan-led Selangor government’s eagerness to take over the state water assets is because it wanted to give it to their cronies.
Ongoing and spirited debate over the water issue took the better part of the morning’s proceedings in the assembly, with some assemblypersons forgetting proper decorum, prompting Selangor speaker Teng Chang Khim to issue a reprimand.
The ruckus continued until deputy speaker Haniza Mohamed Talha replaced him, prompting her to turn off the speakers of various assemblypersons from both sides several times and issue several reprimands.
However, Xavier (left) questioned the eagerness of BN asemblypersons to see the Langat 2 water processing and transfer tunnel be approved.“Maybe somebody has received something from the consortium that got the project?” he asked, alluding that someone may have been paid a commission from the project, which in total costs more than RM8 billion, inclusive of the water transfer tunnel and treatment plant.
This raised the ire of BN’s Batang Kali assemblyperson Mohd Isa Abu Kasim, who said that he too could say that the Pakatan-led Selangor government’s eagerness to take over the state water assets is because it wanted to give it to their cronies.
Ongoing and spirited debate over the water issue took the better part of the morning’s proceedings in the assembly, with some assemblypersons forgetting proper decorum, prompting Selangor speaker Teng Chang Khim to issue a reprimand.
The ruckus continued until deputy speaker Haniza Mohamed Talha replaced him, prompting her to turn off the speakers of various assemblypersons from both sides several times and issue several reprimands.
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