Syabas cannot do things right. It CAN ONLY blame!

Syabas cannot call for water rationing. Syabas cannot solve water woes. Syabas cannot manage its debts. There is only one thing that Syabas can do - blame Selangor government.

Syabas cannot call for water rationing

Published: Fri, 20 Jul 2012 SHAH ALAM: The Malaysian Water Forum (FAM) is demanding that Syarikat Bekalan Air Selangor (Syabas) stop issuing media statements regarding water rationing.

According to FAM, which was formed to assist the National Water Services Commission (SPAN) regarding consumer interests, Syabas can only implement water rationing with permission from SPAN.

“(Syabas) should instead file a formal application to SPAN as soon as possible,” said FAM secretary-general Ratna Devi Nadarajan.

Ratna said under Section 54 of the Water Services Industry Act 2006, SPAN has the sole power to approve water rationing after formal application filed by the water distribution licensee.

Syabas has called for water rationing to be done immediately due to worsening water shortage.

According to the water company, Selangor, Kuala Lumpur and Putrajaya are facing a water crisis with reserve levels of all 34 water treatment plants down to an average of two per cent - the safe mark is 20 per cent.

Ratna said Section 54 clause (3) of the Act stated the water distribution licensee must ensure consumers within its distribution area are supplied with water by taking necessary steps like sending out water tankers.

FAM also suggested for SPAN to carry out a full independent performance audit to determine the capability of Syabas to carry out its duties as sole water distributor in Selangor, KL and Putrajaya.

Ratna urged consumers to use water more efficiently as a recent study showed Malaysians were the highest users in the region with more than 200 litres per capita per day. “We should not use precious treated water to wash cars, clean the streets, or even water the plants as there are a lot of alternative ways to do so, such as rainwater harvesting,” she added.

Meanwhile, Menteri Besar Tan Sri Khalid Ibrahim has announced the state’s intention to take over the operations of Syabas as it doubts the water concessionaire’s claims of a water shortage.

Khalid, in a press conference on Monday, said all seven dams in the state were not only full to capacity, but overflowing.  He said there were indications that the water shortage claim may have been concocted.