The Selangor state government will implement its promise to give away for free the first 20 cubic metres of water, worth RM11.40, beginning this Monday.

This will however only be reflected in consumers' water bills from next month.

selangor mb khalid ibrahim free water pc 110608 01 Menteri Besar Khalid Ibrahim today said that the state government has come to an agreement with Syarikat Bekalan Air Selangor (Syabas) for the supply of the free 20 cubic metres of water.

Previously Syabas had rejected the compensation terms for the free water offered by state subsidiary Kumpulan Darul Ehsan Bhd (KDEB), and announced that consumers in Selangor would not get the proposed free water.

But Khalid told reporters today that the matter was solved during a meeting between the state government KDEB president Abd Karim Munisar and Syabas chief executive officer Roslan Hassan.

Khalid said customers who receive their bills before the beginning date will get a rebate for the first 15 days of June, to be reflected in the proceeding month.

KDEB will pay Syabas for the subsidised water, and it is expected to cost them RM10.8 million per month.

"The cost will be audited by the end of (every) period and we expect at least 1 million consumers to enjoy the free water," Khalid said.

New payment bill

The state government had targeted to implement the free water policy on June 1 but Syabas, the company who issues the water bills had difficulties on a start date for billing purposes.

"(However) we have agreed for it to start on June 16," he added, saying that the first 15 days would be put into the record.

"So the record (could indicate) the amount we (state government) should pay," he clarified.

selangor mb khalid ibrahim free water pc 110608 03 Syabas CEO Roslan ( photo, left ) later added that the payments should be made (by the state government) 30 days after the issuance of the bills to the state government.

Responding to a question on why the matter was not sorted out much earlier, the menteri besar said "giving out free water is the first of its kind".

"People have to bear with the state government while it is being implemented properly," he added.

He however assured that the matter has been resolved now.

"I'm sure that the people of Selangor are quite happy with the result, given the high prices we are going to be experiencing in petroleum," he stated.