Selangor cannot take over Syabas without federal govt consent - DPM

WATER CRISIS- selangor cannot take over syabas without Federal government consent

TAMPIN: THE Selangor government cannot take over the management of water concessionaire Syarikat Bekalan Air Selangor Sdn Bhd (Syabas) without the consent of the Federal Government, Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin said.

He said there must be grounds for the takeover and the state government must propose how it intended to manage the water supply.

“This is provided for under the concession agreement. It (the takeover) is not a simple matter. It cannot be decided on a whim.

“The state government must inform the energy, green technology and water minister (Datuk Seri Peter Chin Fah Kui), who will study if there are grounds for it.

“I have been following the developments closely. If it’s true, then he (Selangor Menteri Besar Tan Sri Abdul Khalid Ibrahim) must also tell us how the state plans to resolve the water crisis.”

Muhyiddin said this after a meet-the-people session at SMK Taman Indah, here, yesterday. Present were his wife, Puan Sri Norainee Abdul Rahman, Works Minister Datuk Seri Shaziman Abu Mansor and Negri Sembilan

Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan.

Khalid had said on Monday that the state government had decided to take over the management of Syabas, claiming that it was incapable of providing satisfactory water supply to consumers.

He said the state government would consider taking legal action if the Federal Government did not approve the request.

Muhyiddin said the water situation, which had reached a critical stage, was of great concern to consumers.

Therefore, Muhyiddin said, the state government must bear responsibility for it, adding that uncertain weather conditions had caused the water supply in treatment plants to remain at a low level.

"What about the construction of the Langat 2 plant?

"We had submitted and discussed the proposal for a long time, but they did not make a decision."

Earlier, in Shah Alam, Khalid said state water regulator Datuk Nordin Sulaiman had the power to override Syabas' authority to grant development order approvals to new projects and factories in Selangor.

He said Syabas had rejected the development order applications of some 60 manufacturers.

Khalid said the state government had delegated the authority to Syabas under the concession agreement, but it was revoked because of Syabas' poor service.

He said he had written to Syabas and the Federal Government of the state government's intended take over of the water company. Additional reporting by G. Surach

- New Straits Times