At a dinner function about two months ago, someone at our table mentioned that the water rationing at that time in Cheras, Kuala Lumpur and nearby areas was due to a diversion of water meant for the public, to the Putrajaya lake which Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad wanted to open very soon.

Secondly, the person also mentioned that it was really a man-made lake and therefore there was no water there before. So after the lake was constructed, they had to build bridges over it!

On the way home in the car, I told my wife that it cannot be true, because it is so ridiculous and wasteful. However, a few days ago I read in the papers that it really was a man-made lake and there is not one bridge over it but 10 of them, in all shapes and sizes! The newspaper article also boasted that the water was diverted from a river in Kajang.

I have not been to Putrajaya, but those that have seen the bridges said that they were absolutely magnificent.

To me, denying water to the public in order to fill up a lake just because Dr M wants to see it completed is a gross injustice, and I doubt if he knew about this. To the officials who orchestrated this, all I can say is: Shame on you!

As for the necessity of building all those bridges, that is another story that needs to be investigated. I wonder how many contractors were involved. These are stuff that would make us the laughing stock of the whole world.