Water supply crisis: stop holding people hostage, reps urge Penang, Kedah govts

GEORGE TOWN – After dry taps for five days, a handful of elected representatives in Penang and Kedah are urging the two state governments to stop holding the people “hostage” – saying that they should focus on ensuring reliable water supply instead.

Residents in both states should not be made “political hostages”, especially by Kedah’s intimidation on the matter, said Penang’s Seri Delima assemblywoman Syerleena Abdul Rashid, whose entire constituency is affected by the supply disruption for at least 72 hours.

“It is timely that Penang looks into other sources for its water supply. With talent and technology, we can be independent and self-reliant. Absolutely no reason for the people to be held as political hostages.”

She also called for a better relay of information whenever a major water disruption occurs.

“There is a dire need for a post-mortem to see what went wrong and how we can overcome it (in terms of relaying important information). There is a lack of that, I feel, so I made a decision to provide live updates on the situation and inform my constituents where water tankers will be stationed.”

For Penang’s Kebun Bunga assemblyman Jason Ong, there is a limit to politics if it is harming the people.

He added that if Kedah or Perak cannot agree to supply raw water to Penang, it is only logical that the state looks into desalination plants.

Kedah DAP chairman and Derga assemblyman Tan Kok Yew said his state should focus on pressing environmental issues and being proactive in addressing climate change instead of picking fights with its neighbours.

Meanwhile, Association of Tourism Attractions Penang chairman Ch’ng Huck Theng said the water disruption here is considered a small matter compared to the woes suffered by consumers in Selangor.

The focus is to prevent its recurrence and to ensure that the water supply is of quality and efficient to ensure that investors and tourists will continue to flock here, he added.

The Penang Water Supply Corporation (PBAPP) has begun to restore supply to many parts of the heavily affected Balik Pulau, Bukit Mertajam, Butterworth and Kepala Batas districts.

Fortunately, George Town is mostly spared from dry taps, as it draws supply from the Air Itam and Teluk Bahang dams.

Water tankers continue to be on standby for deployment here.

The water supply disruption in the two states was largely due to an inflow of mud which clogged the water treatment system since Wednesday following the tragic floods in Kupang, Baling on Monday.

Among the dead were a pregnant woman and her two family members, while hundreds of residents were evacuated with more than 80 houses affected.

Kedah Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Muhammad Sanusi Md Nor declined to confirm whether the floods were caused by durian plantations in Gunung Inas and pointed to the accumulated rainwater in the Gunung Inas channel as the main cause.

However, residents in the affected area are blaming the Musang King durian project in Gunung Inas, which was touted to be the largest in the country. – The Vibes, July 9, 2022