GEORGE TOWN – In a renewed vitriol against DAP, Penang MCA has labelled chief minister Chow Kon Yeow as a “boiling kettle”, following the perceived notion that residents here had failed to receive prior notification over the water crisis that hit the state last week.
As rumours of a 15th general election continue to loom, MCA’s renewed criticism of the Tanjong MP as “Chow Teh Ko”, a Hokkien-term for Chow being a boiling kettle, is aimed at appealing to the Chinese community in the state.
In explaining the labelling, Central MCA Youth deputy secretary Tan Yang Pang said while the boiling water in the kettle was likened to the people, the Padang Kota assemblyman was just a kettle that sounded when the people were “hot”.
“He (Chow) just sat there and sounded like a whistling kettle because he’s only coming clean to the people about the water crisis at 5pm.”
“Chow needs to take this responsibility and apologise to the people. He is the chief minister, and don’t try to run away,” he said during a press conference at the state MCA office today.
Last week, mud floods in Baling forced the Sg Dua Water Treatment Plant in Butterworth – which supplies 80% of the state’s entire water supply – to be shut down temporarily after receiving muddy water intake from Sg Muda.
However, Tan claimed subsequent action by the Penang Water Supply Corporation (PBAPP) which had apparently failed to issue a statement earlier, caused Penangites to go on a panic buying spree involving large quantities of mineral water.
Meanwhile, Tan said the state MCA wanted the Penang government to set up a special committee with its Perak and Kedah counterparts to resolve the water crisis issue together.
Apart from that, he said, the Penang MCA also wanted PBAPP to give special water rebates to all consumers, especially to factories and business centres, which had to be closed due to water supply disruptions.
“The state government and PBAPP need to make up for the losses suffered by consumers.
“The state MCA also hopes that this water crisis will not happen again in the future.”
Last Monday, PBAPP in its statement informed that the water supply issue in Penang has fully been remedied after being disrupted due to the temporary closure of the Sg Dua water treatment plant and a broken pipe incident at Jalan Sultan Azlan Shah, here.
The flood disaster in Baling on July 4 has claimed three lives and affected a total of 1,490 victims. – The Vibes, July 14, 2022
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