SHAH ALAM, 19 Feb: The Selangor Government’s willingness to offer 20 cubic metres of free water to the residents in Kuala Lumpur and Putrajaya shows that Pakatan Rakyat (PR) is always consistent in championing the rights of the people, irrespective of political boundaries.
The Executive Councillor in charge of Welfare and Women’s Affairs, Rodziah Ismail, said that this has long been discussed at the State Government level, by taking into account the residents in Kuala Lumpur and Putrajaya, who are customers of the Selangor Water Supply Company (Syabas).
She said that the plan however cannot be implemented if Syabas is still controlled by private parties motivated by profit alone.
“But if the restructuring is successful and the state government gets to manage the water supply, then they (residents of Kuala Lumpur and Putrajaya) are entitled to the same initiatives received by the people of Selangor.
“This is what Pakatan Rakyat is fighting for, to benefit each citizen, irrespective of who you are, as long as it is your right, you should receive it,” she said to Selangor Kini.
She said this in response to the statement by the Chief Minister, Tan Sri Abdul Khalid Ibrahim, regarding the offer of 20 cubic metres of free water for the residents of Kuala Lumpur and Putrajaya if the restructuring is successful.
Abdul Khalid said in his speech at the Malaysian Power and Water Summit seminar in Kuala Lumpur that the State Government in now in the final stages of negotiating the restructuring of water services with the Federal Government and concessionaires.
Since 2008, the people of Selangor have enjoyed 20 cubic metres of free water, involving an allocation of about RM7000 million a year.
