SG BAKAP BY-ELECTION | PKR deputy president Rafizi Ramli has hit back at his PAS counterpart Tuan Ibrahim Tuan Man as Perikatan Nasional fervently criticised the federal government over the water supply issues plaguing Sungai Bakap as part of its campaign narrative.
The economy minister responded to the opposition’s attacks by questioning why Tuan Ibrahim neglected this problem when he was the environment and water minister during PN’s 33-month stint in Putrajaya.
“Let’s ask, who was the water minister before? It wasn’t Harapan, it wasn’t BN, it wasn’t us from the Madani government. The water minister was Tuan Ibrahim Tuan Man.
“So if the issue in Sungai Bakap is being used to attack the government because our candidate supposedly hasn’t solved the water problem, that’s your problem. You were the water minister,” he said during a ceramah in Kampung Padang Lalang, Simpang Ampat, last night.
Rafizi pointed out that the water problem in Sungai Bakap was part of a broader northern Peninsular Malaysia issue, where the main challenge is a lack of water sources.
He said as the population and number of factories grow, rivers stay the same and become even shallower over time, holding less water, especially as temperatures rise.
Harapan candidate Joohari Ariffin, PKR vice-president Nurul Izzah Anwar, PKR secretary-general Saifuddin Nasution Ismail, and Penang Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow were also present at the event.
PN didn’t solve problems while in govt
In July, the government agreed to allocate funds for a project to channel water from Sungai Perak to Bukit Merah Dam, partially to supply treated water to Penang.
This project will be facilitated by developing the 400ha Kerian Integrated Green Industrial Park (Kigip), which has an estimated allocation of RM4 billion.
Rafizi stated that this problem remained unresolved during PN’s tenure despite them having the information, responsibility, and authority.
“When we were in the opposition, we didn’t know about these issues, it wasn’t our job. At that time, we were chasing after corrupt individuals. You were the one responsible for planning and holding this information.
“You knew Penang didn’t have enough water sources. You knew northern Perak didn’t have enough water sources. You had the power. What did you do when you were the water minister?” he questioned.
Rafizi also emphasised that in contrast, the Madani government took early steps to address the overall water issues across Malaysia.
“It had not even been a year since the Madani government took over, and before this Sungai Bakap by-election, Anwar Ibrahim instructed us to act.
“This has been ongoing since early in the year when we assessed the overall water problems in Malaysia. We’re addressing the noisy issues in Kelantan and other quieter ones in the north,” he added.
The Pandan MP questioned why Tuan Ibrahim did not assist the people when he was in power and that there were lots of funds allocated for Jana Wibawa.
Jana Wibawa, initiated in November 2020 under Muhyiddin Yassin’s administration, was aimed at expediting government projects for Malaysia’s post-Covid-19 recovery and enhancing competitiveness among bumiputera contractors in the construction sector. - Mkini
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