Penang ready for water war in court, Ramasamy tells Kedah

 

Kedah Menteri Besar Muhammad Sanusi Md Nor says court action will be last resort while Deputy Chief Minister II P Ramasamy says Penang is ready for any legal battle.

PETALING JAYA: The Penang government says it will not succumb to threats of blocking the Sungai Muda or legal action by Kedah in the ongoing water dispute involving the two neighbouring states.

Penang Deputy Chief Minister II P Ramasamy said they had nothing to worry as the law was on their side.

“If the matter goes to court, we will be glad to fight it to the end because we have good reasons why Penang doesn’t need to pay as water is drawn from our side of the river.

“The two bilateral agreements in the 1980s, backed by the Federal Constitution, will stand us in good stead for not paying Kedah,” he said in a statement today.

Yesterday, Kedah Menteri Besar Muhammed Sanusi Md Nor fired the latest salvo, saying Kedah might have to take Penang to court if it refused to pay for raw water from the river, which originates from the state.

In the beginning, he had said he would get the villagers along Sungai Muda to place sandbags to block water supply to Penang if the state refused to pay.

A few days later, he urged the federal government to facilitate negotiations with Penang for the payment of raw water.

Ramasamy felt that Sanusi’s recent actions seemed to indicate that he was in a great hurry to punish Penang in one way or another, adding that the PAS leader might have an axe to grind against the DAP-led government in Penang.

“As I have said earlier, we have no problems discussing matters of common interest, especially on water, but it cannot be at gunpoint or under threat.

“I want to reiterate that we support Kedah to receive RM100 million from the federal government for protecting the water catchment areas in Ulu Muda and to irrigate the rice fields,” he said.

The water from Ulu Muda is also used by Perlis and Perak.

Ramasamy advised Kedah to consider the restructuring initiatives of the federal government so as to stagger its debts payments, if this was the issue.

He said Kedah depended on the federal government for even paying the salaries of its civil servants.

“Since PAS is a component of the Perikatan Nasional government, Kedah might get to write off its debts, as in the case of Pahang,” he added.

Ramasamy said the National Water Council, under the chairmanship of Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin, was the best place to thrash out the water dispute between Kedah and Penang.

“Sanusi, rather than raising a hue and cry over Penang not paying for raw water, should refer the matter to the council.” - FMT