BN viewpoint: Can Anwar end water deadlock?

CAN Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim end the deadlock between the federal government and the Selangor government over the critical water issue? Or is it wishful thinking?

These are relevant questions in the wake of what I perceive as "an appeal straight from the heart" by Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin last week to the opposition leader.

Putrajaya has almost exhausted its options in an all-out bid to prevent a water crisis expected to hit Selangor, Kuala Lumpur and Putrajaya – which together make up the country's most densely populated region – by 2014.

Patience is running thin at the highest level of the federal government over this rare but huge battle of wits in the federal-state working relationship, and it's for this that Muhyiddin raised the matter with Anwar. Anwar is not only the de facto Pakatan Rakyat leader but wears the hat of economic adviser to the Selangor government led by Mentri Besar Tan Sri Abdul Khalid Ibrahim.

For all intents and purposes, Khalid is relishing the role he's playing as Mr Obstructionist with all kinds of reasons to see to it that the massive RM8 billion project to source raw water from Pahang and the Langat 2 treatment plant that goes with it, won't become a reality.

He has issued one ultimatum after another that he'll only grant a development order for the plant if Putrajaya agrees to the state's ambitious water restructuring plan.

Putrajaya has stated many times it has no objection to the plan. But it's not as simple as it seems, for Khalid has to deal with the four privatised water concessionaires on 'willing buyer, willing seller' terms before he can take over the state's water assets.

The concessionaires have so far rejected the state's offer in the takeover talks and Khalid wants the federal government to intervene in what is essentially a business deal. Khalid, being a former top corporate deal maker, should know this.

The latest spanner in the works from the mentri besar was a letter dated Sept 14 to the federal government seeking its endorsement to the state's restructuring plan within 14 days, or else it would be seen as Putrajaya having no objection to the plan.

Energy, Green Technology and Water Minister Datuk Seri Peter Chin said the ultimatum – which expired four days ago – was improper as matters raised by Khalid in the letter were much more complex, involving a bigger aspect, monitoring policy and specific provisions of fund.

"For all these areas, you cannot simply give a deadline ... (and say) if you don't reply by then, I will take it as you agree. I think this is not correct, it sort of gives an ultimatum," said Peter.

The opportunity for Muhyiddin to talk to Anwar to break the impasse came when he found himself sitting next to the opposition leader at a lunch hosted by the Dewan Rakyat Speaker in Parliament on Wednesday.

"I told Anwar that as the Selangor economic adviser, he should give the correct advice," said Muhyiddin. "I have requested him to advise the Selangor government to act positively so that construction work on the Langat 2 treatment plant can proceed and the development issued."

When asked what was the response, Muhyiddin said Anwar indicated he would convey the matter to Khalid and would respond within a week.

Muhyiddin said he made it clear to Anwar that as far as water was concerned, it's not a political issue but a question of people's welfare. Equally important is that it has absolutely vital connectivity with the economy.

"If we don't do something about it, we'll face the people's wrath. I told Anwar, neither he nor I will get any political mileage out of this and I have said the same thing in my letter to Khalid in response to his letter," said Muhyiddin.

In Selangor, where for the first time in the nation's history water is given free to consumers to fulfill the Pakatan Rakyat's 2008 general election promise, it is highly perplexing and even amusing that the state government is obsessed with taking over the water business knowing that producing and delivering water to millions of homes and thousands of industries incur horrendous costs.

The figure that's bandied about by the state government is that it is prepared to pay up to RM9 billion to take over its water assets. Even assuming that it can afford to come up with such a huge amount of money, how is it going to recoup its investments when it's giving free water to the people? It doesn't tally, let alone make sense. Except, of course, if it's solely to play the game of one-up-manship with Putrajaya.

Then amid this latest spat between both sides, came an announcement last week by Pahang Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Adnan Yaakob that the state government would not hesitate to cancel the water transfer project if the Selangor government believed it did not need water from Pahang. Earlier he had said Pahang would consider reviewing the agreement because Selangor had politicised the matter.

It's an understatement to say that it's being politicised. In reality, it's the most highly politicised issue that I can think of.

Adnan's threat to cancel the project only plays into the hands of the Selangor government and suits its political agenda and the biggest losers, if it ever sees the light of day, will be the people, the economy and the federal government. I'm sure Adnan knows this, which is why many were taken aback by his announcement.

Consider this, up to Aug 31, a substantial portion of the RM8 billion meant for the inter-state water transfer project has been spent. These include completing 67% or 22.9km of the 44.6km long tunnel while 47% of water pumps and valves and about 60% of the dual piping system have been installed.

If the agreement is scrapped, we will not only have a huge white elephant in the country but worse, dry taps.

Millions of people in Selangor, Kuala Lumpur and Putrajaya should rightfully take on Khalid and his administration as to why, despite the Selangor government not having to pay a single sen to ensure their water security via the RM8 billion project, is this Mr Obstructionist as unrelenting and stubborn as ever.

Now, it looks like the hopes of these millions rest with Anwar. He was once our deputy prime minister and is it too much to ask him to play a statesman's role, rising above partisan politics to end the deadlock?

Anwar, perhaps more than us laymen, knows that there are things in life that are more important than politics. Water is one of them.

-thesundaily