GEORGE TOWN, Nov 20 – Penang’s water supply authority asserted that it had the right to raw the water from within the state boundaries and will continue to take the water from Sungai Muda on a daily basis, free of charge. Penang Water Supply Corporation (PBA) Chief Executive Officer Dato’ Ir. Jaseni Maidinsa said it was illogical for anyone in Kedah to suggest that Penang should pay for raw water drawn from a river that is partly located on its own soil.

“The states’ boundary at the centre line of the Sungai Muda and we draw raw water from Penang’s side of the river. It is therefore irrelevant to speculate on whether Penang should pay raw water charges to Kedah,” said Dato’ Ir. Jaseni in his statement here on Thursday.

Dato’ Ir. Jaseni was commenting on a news report published in a Malay daily on Wednesday. The repost quoted Kedah Opposition Leader Datuk Amiruddin Hamzah as saying that Kedah had a right to collect raw water charges from Penang for drawing water from Sungai Muda.

“Penang also ‘surrendered’ 27.7 acres (10.88 ha) of land to Kedah, in return for a ‘water guarantee from Kedah to facilitate the implementation of the ‘Penang Water Supply Project’. This guarantee was a prerequisite for the approval of an Asian Development Bank (ADB) loan,” he said.

“It is noted in parliamentary records that Kedah had to guarantee water supply from the catchments in Ulu Sungai Muda for the implementation of the project. While this guarantee was provided. Looking back, Penang agreed to the re-alignment of state boundaries and the surrender of land as concessions to secure Kedah’s water guarantee. That guarantee stands to this day,” he added.

Pocket News

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