Water 'bomoh' Chua Soi Lek joins BN charge to wrest back Selangor

When we think that the Selangor water controversy has peaked and died down, and all the red-faced perpetrators are hiding behind the wall, MCA suddenly shows up to issue us a dire warning!

“The water situation in Selangor will reach critical mass in two months time,” MCA President Chua Soi Lek was reported as saying after being briefed by water experts, professionals and non-government organizations, who asked to remain anonymous.

Critical Mass

Yes, you got it right. Critical Mass. It is nothing short of a doomsday prediction and a possible Armageddon. In two months, it will be the end of the rainy season. For the first time in history, the dams may run dry all at the same time. All the 34 water processing plants may also fail at the same time. Even those that can still process water won't have enough water to process.

It will be the end of Selangor with everyone dying of thirst, and everyone forced to take baths in the Klang and Gombak rivers. It’s like another Dec 21 2012 prediction albeit on a smaller scale. Neighboring states will however be spared and continue to enjoy ample water supply. Only Selangor would face this critical crisis. This is the logic of the MCA and his BN coalition.

The findings are so highly sensitive that the water experts Soi Lek consulted have chosen to remain anonymous. If true, have these experts themselves prepared for this eventuality? If so, some of them would have warned their closest relatives and friends and get ready to evacuate the critical zone and leave the state. Some of them may even be bringing their livestock, cows, goats and chickens to shift to other states.

After all, they are the ones who found it so dire. Critical Mass. It is beyond redemption. There is simply no way out for Selangorians. In less than 60days this critical mass may hit Selangor like a bomb. Shell shocked Selangorians would not know where to turn to.

A 'quick' remedy that takes 2 years

However, there is still hope, promises Soi Lek and BN. If the Selangor government approves the Langat 2 project, the Gods will smile on us and this disaster can be averted. Within 2 years and the wave of a wand, the Selangor water crisis will be solved for the next 20 generations.

Not only that, Soi Lek and BN warn that to secure themselves from this impending 'critical mass', Selangorians had better get their asses moving and vote in the BN. Yes, it is the BN that can be counted on to take swift action to prevent the matter from getting critical as the Pakatan Rakyat Selangor State Government lacks hands-on experience, and has sat on this water crisis for 4 years, oblivious of the danger!

And it seems only the MCA can predict such a tragedy before it befalls the people while the Selangor Government has been partying for the last 4 years, spending money like water. The MCA’s dedicated ‘research and intelligence’ department has been busy exposing crisis after crisis affecting Selangor, but these have fallen on deaf ears. Even the RM1billion Talam expose’ has failed to stir Selangorians from their deep slumber.

Selangor Government's lax attitude or Federal Government's self-interest

MCA also revealed that in 2008, these same specialists had predicted that within five years, there would be a water shortage in Selangor based on the population growth, increased consumption and the processing ability of the state’s 34 water treatment facilities. But the state government did nothing about it.

“In the last four years, there has been no significant capital expenditure by the state government to repair and upgrade the existing 34 plants,” Chua added.

Soi Lek and MCA may make themselves seem like heroes and taking on a big risk to publicize this critical warning even though their water experts have chosen to remain anonymous. Actually, the anonymity and secrecy surrounding their prediction may be the bigger cause for concern rather than the prediction itself.

The federal government has also made a big fuss of refusing to allow the Selangor government to take over Syabas and handle this crisis on its own. Syabas is the water distributor controlled by Umno crony Rozali Ismail, whom the Selangor state council has threatened to sack for incompetence!

But the Umno-BN federal government believes in Syabas and fears that it is the Selangor state government that will make a mess of things. BN has also warned Selangorians that its hands are tied, and it can only take action to solve the 'water crisis' if they voted BN back to head the Selangor state government.

But what if this critical mass that Soi Lek threatens does not materialize? Who would be accountable to those Selamgorians who acted in good faith on this warning and shifted out into 'safer' areas? Is this why the water experts have chosen to stay anonymous?

Malaysians and not just Selangorians must also take note of the fact that UMNO-BN has not done anything in the last decade to rectify this situation, preferring to keep quiet and only making a sound when the state is barely 60 days to a 'Critical Mass'.

Irresponsible lies

Prime Minister Najib Razak, the Selangor Umno chief, too is quiet on the State Government’s suggestion to spend RM250million to upgrade the water treatment facilities as well as to replace leaking pipes.

BN seems to feel that this will not solve the water crisis and only the Langat 2 project worth RM8.6billion will provide a long term solution. That is despite the fact that Selangor would have to pay RM600million to purchase water every year for life from Pahang state so that it has enough water to process.

So far, the water is overflowing its brim in most of the catchment areas in Selangor. There is no sign of the 'critical mass in two months time' as threatened by Soi Lek at all. Should he not be scolded for making irresponsible statements that could cause mass panic?

After all, the Langat 2 miracle solution that his BN has promised can be operational only in 2 to 3 years' time. Selangor - even if it agreed on Langat 2 - would not be able to meet Soi Lek's 60-day deadline. The state would be decimated and turned into a brown parched waterless desert, uninhabitable for generations to come.

Rock solid credibility

So to those alert Selangorians, continue with your usual schedule, ignore Soi Lek and BN. When the election comes along, just go to the balloting station and show your disgust.

But to those who are gullible, well! As Soi Lek and BN warn, there are already water disruptions in certain areas in Selangor which they insist may be a dire warning of more sinister things to come. So gather together those chickens and ducks, goats and cows, the whole family, furniture et al and prepare to shift out of the state.

After all, Chua Soi Lek is not known to be wrong in his predictions. His credibility is rock solid. That’s why he heads the 2nd biggest political party in the country. Is that right?

Malaysia Chronicle