After Islamic values, Chua now in water rates slip

LABIS, Jan 27: MCA president Chua Soi Lek, who denied that Johor had the highest water tariff in the country, has been taken to task by DAP who challenged him to name the state which has higher rate than Johor.

DAP's Petaling Jaya Utara member of parliament Tony Pua, who made the demand on the former Health minister, said the question should be easily answerable.

“If the MCA president is convinced that Johor doesn’t have the highest water rates, then it should be very easy for him to quote the state(s) with higher tariffs than Johor,” said Pua in a statement.

Pua said it was clear Johor has the highest water tariffs in Malaysia with the first 20 cubic metres at RM 0.60 per cubic metre, following a hike of 59 percent last year.

“Selangor charges RM0.57 per cubic metre of water for the first 20 cubic metres. Despite being lower than Johor’s new rates, the Pakatan Rakyat government has offered 20 cubic metres of free water monthly to every household in the state.

"Penang on the other hand charges on RM0.22 per cubic metre or nearly 3 times cheaper than in Johor,” said Pua, adding that if each household were to use 40 cubic metres of water in Johor, they would need to fork out RM2.96 per cubic metre or 63 percent higher than the previous rate of RM1.82 per cubic metre.

Chua has been at the forefront of the campaign in the run-up to polling day in Tenang, part of his former parliamentary constituency which he vacated following exposure of his lewd acts in a hotel room caught by a hidden camera. The sex video scandal was recalled in the campaign after Chua attacked PAS candidate Normala Sudirman for refusing to shake hands with the opposite sex.

'MCA owes explanation'

Pua (left) said instead of attempting to rebut the facts about Johor's water industry, Chua should instead take MCA state executive councillor for International Trade and Industry, Energy, Water, Communications and Environment, Tan Kok Hong to task for failing to protect the interest of Johoreans by allowing the steepest possible increase in water tariffs in the state.

“Tan Kok Hong and the state government must be taken to task for colluding with Syarikat Air Johor (SAJ) to enable the latter to make exorbitant profits at the expense of the rakyat,” he said.

Pua said MCA should explain why it allowed the company to increase water rates despite the fact that the Federal government had absorbed most of the cost and assets of SAJ.

Pua also lashed out at Chua for claiming that the steep increase would have a marginal effect on the average person.

“Instead he must tell Johoreans how he plans to convince Barisan Nasional to check the increase in prices and improve the livelihood of the people,” said Pua.