BATU KAWAN – Penang and Kedah will be a laughing stock if they continue to be locked in a war of words over water resources, said Chow Kon Yeow.
The Penang chief minister, speaking after a groundbreaking ceremony for a personal protective equipment manufacturing facility here, said the state is open to discussing with its neighbour to resolve the dispute.
“People will laugh at the two states over the war of words in the media, and we need to take care of our image.
“We have already informed Kedah of our answer to the issue, during a meeting between the states’ water agencies.
“The Penang Water Supply Corporation (PBAPP) has informed its Kedah counterpart that Penang is extracting water from within its borders.”
Chow said he led a state delegation to Putrajaya in October to meet the energy and natural resources minister to discuss the issue.
The matter arose after Penang and PBAPP voiced their objection to Kedah’s planned large-scale rare-earth mining project near Ulu Muda.
On Wednesday, Kedah Menteri Besar Muhammed Sanusi Md Nor demanded that Penang settle the state’s demand of RM50 million for extracting water from Sg Muda, which flows some 100km from the Ulu Muda catchment area near Baling.
The following day, Penang said it will not accede to the demand of RM50 million annually for extracting water from the river, which runs through both states.
Chow had said that as per international water laws, Penang had the legal and protective right to extract water from parts of Sg Muda within its borders.
“The issue of raw water comes under the purview of the federal government. I think it is only fair if Kedah is compensated, if (the federal government) protects the Ulu Muda area from development.” – The Vibes, December 12, 2020
