But YESTERDAY,(SEE POINT marked ** BELOW) the special Cabinet committee at its first meeting chaired by the DPM --also UMNO deputy president, and this is an important fact to note, as the parties involved are all playing politics ""first and placng the Selangor/FT residents "second" in the crisis situation of Syabas own making! Hence, the Selangor Menteri Besar's p[roposal to call for a REFERENDEN to decide once and for all is a GODD&TIMELY MOVE, and DEsi is confident the Selangorians will majority approve take over of Syabas by the State!
Okay, from the NST Online today (frontpage in its print edition, hey I can still afford RM1.20 to keep my MEDIA WATCH duty going for you, my dear ER's sHakes:( . Also Desi has lighlighted certain sections (BOLDED THUS) to comment further on the main points:) -- YL, Desi~~
24 July 2012 | last updated at 08:57AM
Langat 2 must go on
NO RATIONING: Water woes causing anxiety among consumers, says DPM
PUTRAJAYA: A cabinet committee dealing with the imminent water crisis in the Klang Valley said yesterday the delayed Langat 2 water treatment plant project must go ahead as the water supply situation is critical and causing anxiety among consumers.
Also, water concessionaire Syabas has been asked to come up with a contingency plan as the water treatment plants in Sungai Langat, Sungai batu, Sungai Semenyih, Sungai Selangor and bukit tampoi were operating beyond their capacity and were at a risk of breaking
down.
down.
**The committee’s meeting, chaired by Deputy Prime Minister tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin, also decided that there was no need for water rationing in Selangor, Kuala Lumpur and Putrajaya. On Langat 2, Muhyiddin said the attorney-
general had been asked to look at legal provisions to start the project should the Selangor government disagree with the plan to build it.
general had been asked to look at legal provisions to start the project should the Selangor government disagree with the plan to build it.
“Ideally, we are looking to start the project this year so that it can be completed by 2015.” He said the Selangor government should give the go-ahead as soon as possible so that construction could begin.
The government would prepare, in a month’s time, the offer to several companies to build the plant.
Muhyiddin said: “We want to make sure there will be companies ready to start work as soon as the Selangor government gives permission and for the project to be completed in 3½ years.”
He said the committee decided that Langat 2 was the only solution to the water crisis, which was expected to hit Selangor, Kuala Lumpur and Putrajaya by 2014.
"Today, the committee discussed and felt that the Langat 2 project must be continued."
The meeting at the Energy, Green Technology and Water Ministry was attended by its minister, Datuk Seri Peter Chin Fah Kui, and Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Datuk Seri Idris Jala.
***As for the Selangor government's intentions to take over Syabas' operations, Muhyiddin said the proposal could not be considered as Selangor had failed to comply with the concession agreement, including allowing a water tariff hike.
"We will seek the advice of the attorney-general, who will have the final say."
He said one of the issues standing in the way of the takeover was the state government's failure to compensate Syabas after refusing a scheduled increase in the water tariff.
"The matter is pending in court as Syabas is suing Selangor."
On the situation on the ground, he said there had been complaints of water disruptions in several parts of the city and Selangor. Five areas, with 50,000 accounts with Syabas, have unsatisfactory water supply.
"The matter is pending in court as Syabas is suing Selangor."
On the situation on the ground, he said there had been complaints of water disruptions in several parts of the city and Selangor. Five areas, with 50,000 accounts with Syabas, have unsatisfactory water supply.
Syabas has been instructed to ensure enough water supply to all areas, including Pandan Indah, Pandan Perdana, Balakong, Kapar and Hulu Langat.
Read more: Langat 2 must go on - Top News - New Straits Times http://www.nst.com.my/top-news/langat-2-must-go-on-1.111872#ixzz21W3bKYuF
AND BACKGROUNDING, from The Star Online a week earlier:~~~~
Sunday July 15, 2012
Syabas wants to start water rationing
By RAZAK AHMAD
razak@thestar.com.my
PETALING JAYA: Water concessionaire Syabas will seek permission to start rationing immediately in Kuala Lumpur, Hulu Langat and Klang because of the worsening water supply shortage.
Syabas chief executive officer Datuk Ruslan Hassan said Selangor, Kuala Lumpur and Putrajaya were now facing a water crisis with reserve levels at 34 treatment plants down to an average of 2% way below the “safe mark” of at least 20% (see table).
The company asking for rationing approval from the National Water Services Commission listed 112 areas in Klang, Petaling, Hulu Langat and Kuala Lumpur as the worst hit by intermittent disruptions since April, affecting 209,678 premises and some one million residents.
Taps running dry: Ruslan (second from left) presenting drinking water to residents of Taman Sungai Besi Indah in Seri Kembangan who have been experiencing water shortage.
****“We can no longer supply adequate water to Kuala Lumpur, Hulu Langat and Klang because we do not have the needed reserves,” Ruslan said, adding that the situation could worsen because of the dry spell.
He was speaking to reporters during the distribution of water to residents of Taman Sungai Besi Indah in Seri Kembangan, one of the areas in Selangor hit by supply disruption.
The housing estate and its surrounding areas have been without water since Friday evening.
Ruslan said the company was preparing a list of neighbourhoods that would be affected by the rationing, with supply to be cut off either for several hours daily or on alternate days.
He said Syabas had received thousands of telephone calls from angry residents complaining of supply disruptions.
DESIDERATA: WRT ****Dry spell, Encik Ruslan? In Negeri Sembilan where I reside -- but In regularly visit Selangor! -- we have been seeing rainy weather on most days -- I am sure Selangor could NOT be experiencing the opposite extreme?
And how Encik Ruslan, could you say RATIONING must start immediately and just a week later, the DPM said there is NO NEED TO DO SO? (Yes, point marked ** above again) Is Desi guessing right Syabas is PLAYING POLITICS against the Selangor government because it is now under Pakatan Rakyat contro, NOT UNDER BN-UMNO-led federal government?
YES>>>>>>>> I completely support the Selangor government's proposal to conduct a REFERENDUM to base a decision ON THE RAKYAT'S VOICE!
As for the legal aspects,*** let the Selangor government argue its case in courts verusus Syabas in complicity with BN fedral government; but whatever it is, from experience we have learned that CONCESSIONAIRES --whether with roads and highways eg PLUS, or with other privatised entities, the concessionaires have been gifted with golden goose terms of contracts eg Highway concessions are "compensated" with payments if they were to lose money or their profits did not achieve a certain targets. WHERE IN THE WORLD A GOVERNMENT WOULD PRIVATISE UTILITIES WITH SUCH PROFIT GUARANTEES TO THE CONCESSIONAIRE? Yeah, only Malaysia Bulleh!
From NST, page 3, report headlined::
Selangor may hold
'water' referendum
Read more: Selangor may hold 'water' referendum - General - New Straits Timeshttp://www.nst.com.my/nation/general/selangor-may-hold-water-referendum-1.111811#ixzz21WA5BGA0
DESIDERATA: WRT ****Dry spell, Encik Ruslan? In Negeri Sembilan where I reside -- but In regularly visit Selangor! -- we have been seeing rainy weather on most days -- I am sure Selangor could NOT be experiencing the opposite extreme?
And how Encik Ruslan, could you say RATIONING must start immediately and just a week later, the DPM said there is NO NEED TO DO SO? (Yes, point marked ** above again) Is Desi guessing right Syabas is PLAYING POLITICS against the Selangor government because it is now under Pakatan Rakyat contro, NOT UNDER BN-UMNO-led federal government?
YES>>>>>>>> I completely support the Selangor government's proposal to conduct a REFERENDUM to base a decision ON THE RAKYAT'S VOICE!
As for the legal aspects,*** let the Selangor government argue its case in courts verusus Syabas in complicity with BN fedral government; but whatever it is, from experience we have learned that CONCESSIONAIRES --whether with roads and highways eg PLUS, or with other privatised entities, the concessionaires have been gifted with golden goose terms of contracts eg Highway concessions are "compensated" with payments if they were to lose money or their profits did not achieve a certain targets. WHERE IN THE WORLD A GOVERNMENT WOULD PRIVATISE UTILITIES WITH SUCH PROFIT GUARANTEES TO THE CONCESSIONAIRE? Yeah, only Malaysia Bulleh!
From NST, page 3, report headlined::
Selangor may hold
'water' referendum
RESTRUCTURING: It wants people to decide on takeover of Syabas
PUTRAJAYA: THE Selangor government is going ahead with its planned takeover of the water operations from concessionaire Syarikat Bekalan Air Selangor Sdn Bhd, state executive councillor Dr Xavier Jayakumar said yesterday.
He proposed a "referendum of the people", where the people of Selangor would decide.
"We are prepared to hold the referendum where the rakyat can vote to agree or reject the intention of the Selangor government to take over Syabas," he said after visiting the Sungai Semenyih water treatment plant.
The plant, owned and run by Abbas (Konsortium Abbas Sdn Bhd is 50 per cent owned by Kumpulan Perangsang Selangor Bhd of the Selangor government), has the capacity to produce 546 MLD (million litres per day) but is currently producing 665 MLD.
Jayakumar said the state government had requested RM225 million from the Federal Government to carry out water mitigation projects through the State Economic Planning Unit, but the approval was still pending.
The funds are to upgrade two water treatment plants, the Sungai Selangor Plant 1 and Sungai Selangor Plant 2, as they are running below their maximum capacity output because of infrastructure limitations to channel treated water out to the water supply network, he said.
"The Selangor government is prepared to spend its own funds to fulfil these mitigation projects, which are actually the responsibility of the Federal Government to ensure that the people of Selangor have enough water."
Jayakumar said the state government was prepared to spend an additional RM200 million to RM300 million to upgrade to membrane technology to supply treated water without disruption to the present supply.
He said the state water industry restructuring exercise should proceed immediately as Syabas, according to him, had failed to provide good service to consumers.
Earlier, about 100 Pakatan Rakyat supporters gathered in front of Syabas' office in Shah Alam to express support for the state government's planned takeover of the concessionaire.
Read more: Selangor may hold 'water' referendum - General - New Straits Timeshttp://www.nst.com.my/nation/general/selangor-may-hold-water-referendum-1.111811#ixzz21WA5BGA0
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