Perak to set up special body for water resources management

The Perak government today tabled the Perak Water Resources Enactment Bill 2022 which, among others, will create a special body to regulate the use of state water resources.

When tabling the bill, Perak Menteri Besar Saarani Mohamad (above) said when approved, licensing and enforcement aspects of water resources could be monitored as well as enable integrated management of the use, development and protection of water resources.

“There is a need to enact a new orderly and comprehensive state law to replace the Water Enactment 1920 [Enactment 418] and related laws.

“Therefore, the bill is being enacted to provide the allocation as well as to establish the Perak Water Resources Management Authority and for related matters,” he said at the Perak state assembly sitting.

Saarani said the bill contained 94 clauses which covered the functions and powers of the board of directors, employees, administration, finance and the Water Development Fund.

He explained that among other states that have passed enactments related to water resources management are Selangor (1999), Kedah (2008), and the latest, Terengganu (2020), whereby these three states have established their respective state water resources management bodies, namely the Selangor Water Management Authority (Luas), Kedah State Water Resources Board (LSANK) and Terengganu Water Resources Board.

In the debate session on the bill, Loh Sze Yee (DAP-Jalong) said there was a need for the enactment but there were provisions that were not needed and thus the state government must consider the impact once it was approved.

“If there is too much water, there will be a problem of flash floods, when there is not enough, there will be droughts until plants die and so on.

“We understand the bill is needed to help in terms of revenue sources for the state government but I wish to point out here that in our enthusiasm to find alternative sources of income, we need to see what will happen after approval,” he said.

Meanwhile, Zambry Abdul Kadir (BN-Pangkor), a former Perak menteri besar, when intervening during the debate by Jamilah Zakaria (BN-Trong), said the bill has its own uniqueness because it relates to water management and use as well as coastal areas where the limits should be within the state’s jurisdiction.

- Bernama