The signing of the long-awaited memorandum of understanding (MOU) for the Selangor water concessions takeover on Wednesday has not closed the chapter on PKR in-fighting . 

As party leaders decry being in the dark over the MOU, Selangor Menteri Besar Abdul Khalid Ibrahim ( right ) today claimed that several PKR leaders had tried to influence the water concessions takeover deal.

The Star reported that he said PKR leaders tried to introduce him to people to lobby for higher valuations of the four water concessionaires, which the state had valued at a collective RM9.65 billion.

“I have been an investment banker for so long that I look at the principle of valuation before determining the price (of the assets). I stood by my principle of valuation and set the price at RM9.65 billion.

“These people wanted to set the price and wanted the valuation to justify their price,” he was quoted as saying.

However, he apparently did not name the PKR leaders he was referring to.

Khalid's disclosure fits with talk within political circles that he had decided to work with the federal government through Section 114 of the Water Services Industry Act to put an end to attempts to strike backroom deals.

Last-minute notice on signing

Asked of this earlier, however, Anwar rubbished insinuations that PKR had triggered the Kajang by-election to replace Khalid and strike a sweeter deal for concessionaires.

The MB also told the daily that the federal government only informed the state that it will go ahead with the MOU on Wednesday morning hours before it was signed.

“They said 'come and sign'. I was all done within a few hours,” he said, adding that he is calling a meeting with PKR leaders to explain the details of the MOU.

Meanwhile, the Star reported that PKR deputy president Azmin Ali as saying that the party is summoning Khalid to explain the details of the MOU to ensure that water tariffs will not go up and the state can still provide free water.

PKR de facto leader Anwar Ibrahim, who is now in Japan, told reporters on Wednesday that he was unaware that the MOU would be signed, but felt that the takeover is a good thing for the state.

The MOU sees the concessionaires accepting the RM9.65 billion offered, while the state concedes by allowing the development of the Langat 2 water treatment plant it had earlier opposed.

The federal government will also provide the state with RM2 billion to assist in the takeover of the concessions.

Water services assets will then be parked under state-investment arm Kumpulan Darul Ehsan Bhd, allowing the state full control of the industry, fully reversing about two decades of privatisation.