Syabas told to hand over water information

Klang MP Charles Santiago, who is also CAWP coordinator, says Syabas' failure to do so would mean that the water crisis is manufactured.

KUALA LUMPUR: The Coalition Against Water Privatisation (CAWP) wants the deputy prime minister to force Selangor water supplier, Syabas to hand over information related to water to them.

Deputy Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin heads the cabinet committee on Selangor water crisis .

“As the ‘new minister’ in charge of water, Muhyiddin should instruct Syabas to give us the information,” said Klang MP Charles Santiago at a press conference outside Syabas headquarters in Bangsar.

He had earlier led a five man delegation to hand over a memorandum to Syabas. The others in the delegation were Senator Syed Shahir Syed Mohamud, Aliran exco member Sarajun Hoda Abdul Hassan, MTUC secretary general Halim Mansur and vice president Mohd Roszeli Majid.

The memorandum was received by Syabas technical services executive director V Subramaniam.

Santiago, who is also CAWP coordinator, said that Syabas has to give them the information by Aug 7.

“Their failure to do so would only prove that the water crisis is manufactured. If there is a crisis, we’ll say what has to be done after consulting our experts,” he said.

The information required by CAWP are the quantity of raw water from dams and pumping stations into the treatment plants from Jan 1 to July 15 this year, meter readings of the outflow of treated water into treatment plants, and meter readings of treated water into contributor distribution system by Syabas.

CAWP also wants to see records of certified log books and calibrated meters, electricity bills, Puncak Niaga’s payment bills to Syabas for water sold and the chemical usage for the same period.

Santiago said the information is vital in determining whether there is an impending water crisis in Selangor.

There were more than 20 police personnel in front of Syabas headquarters.