POLITICIANS in the state have described the start of tomorrow's scheduled water cuts in George Town as inevitable but stress that more should be done to alleviate a similar situation where 80% of consumers will face dry taps for the next four days.
Penang Gerakan veteran Wong Mun Hoe said that it is unfortunate that Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow is facing an issue inherited from the previous administration but his actions to address the issue leaves much to be desired.
The state must ensure that the water from the tankers reaches the consumers effectively and efficiently, said Wong.
He said that deploying water tankers is a suitable measure, but can the water reach vulnerable groups such as the sick, the elderly and the disabled effectively?
Static tankers may also result in huge crowds gathering in the hot punishing sun and overcrowding may result in a tense situation.
The deployment of temporary water resources such as containers should have started last month or even earlier instead of a situation where many factories are closing, not to mention public schools, food outlets and other businesses, he added.
"What about the profiteering taking place now for water containers? The consumers are made to suffer due to poor judgement and perhaps excess politicking."
He said there should be more deployment of young volunteers to distribute water from the tankers to the consumers, especially those in high-rise buildings.
Then, there is a question of how the tankers are to navigate through traffic congestion and the narrow roads in Penang.
He also urged the local authorities in Penang to begin approving housing projects which can incorporate bigger water storage tanks and to begin alternative measures such as rainwater harvesting and water savings as well as conservation programmes.
Wong also urged the state to begin extracting underground water deposits, while dams were constructed to meet the needs of the growing manufacturing sector.
"Such measures should have been done at least one decade ago. Those at the Penang Water Supply Corporation (PBAPP) should have sounded the alarm then. Now, we have compromised pipes which may rupture at any given time."
And to fix them aside from the four-day water cuts, may result in more shutdowns of water supply down the months, Wong claimed, saying that PBAPP should also offer discounts to households, industrial and services sectors affected by the cuts.
The facts remain that the previous administration's preoccupation with simply playing politics has led to the present abysmal standard in the PBAPP, which was once the top water concessionaire in the country and has a listed entity, said Wong.
Penang MCA meanwhile has called on the state government to appoint proven experts to deal with the water situation here.
State MCA publicity bureau chief Tan Eng Hin said experts should take over the management and monitor all maintenance work while the restructuring of PBAPP should be undertaken to ensure the corporate body is lean and efficient.
The party understands that maintenance work is unavoidable but the state government must ensure that it has comprehensive knowledge before implementing it, he said.
"I would like to remind Chow Kon Yeow that the interests of the people must always be given the highest priority," Tan reportedly said.- The Vibes, January 9, 2024.
