GEORGE TOWN – The state government will not hesitate to take action against Kedah if the Takungan Air Pinggiran Sungai (TAPS) project in Sg Muda leads to a water crisis in Penang.
State exco for Infrastructure and Transport Zairil Khir Johari said currently the Penang Water Supply Corporation (PBAPP) extracts more than 80% of its raw water every day from Sg Muda to produce treated water.
“The impact of the implementation of the TAPS project in Sg Muda is still unknown.
“If the project has a negative impact on Penang, then the state government will act immediately to stop it immediately,” he said at the Penang assembly sitting today during Question Time.
Opposition leader Datuk Muhamad Yusoff Mohd Noor (Sg Dua-Umno) had asked about the impact to the state if Kedah continued with the water reservoir project in Sg Muda.
Zairil (Tg Bungah-DAP) said in principle, Kedah cannot carry out projects involving Ulu Muda, which have not been agreed to by the federal government.
He said among the options to stop the implementation of this costly project was to submit a formal objection to the federal government and propose the objection to be debated in Parliament.
“Besides that, we can also take legal action to get an injunction in court.
“PBAPP will strive to implement more strategic projects under the Penang Water Supply Initiative 2050 to reduce the risk of possible disasters in Sg Muda that could affect water supply services in Penang in the future.”
Zairil explained that if the water supply from Sg Muda is disrupted, the water supply for the 1.78 million residents of Penang were also expected to be affected.
In fact, he said, the water supply crisis in Penang will also cause huge losses to all businesses which now contribute RM94.7 billion to the country’s gross domestic product in 2019.
Last year, Kedah announced that it would implement the TAPS project to retain excess water in Sg Muda.
The project, which received an allocation from the Environment and Water Ministry, aims to increase water supply in Kedah and stabilise the water level in the river during the dry season.
Kedah Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Muhamad Sanusi Md Nor was reported to have said that through the project, Penang may have to use sludge water if it refuses to pay raw water charges.
Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow, in his response, said Penang would not make any payments to Kedah, and would not hesitate to take legal action to obtain a court injunction to stop the project. – The Vibes, May 31, 2022
