With the ongoing impasse over the water price dispute with Singapore, an opposition leader said that Foreign Minister Syed Hamid Albar should brief the public about developments on the issue.

DAP secretary-general Kerk Kim Hock said Syed Hamid should make a ministerial statement in parliament on Tuesday to explain why Singapore has pinned the blame for the breakdown in negotiations on Malaysia.

Kerk said recent comments by Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad and Singapore Foreign Minister S Jayakumar had clearly indicated that water agreement negotiations between the two countries have broken down, or reached a serious stalemate.

"Syed Hamid should inform parliament what are Malaysia's responses to the statements made by Jayakumar in the Singapore Parliament as his statements, if not rebutted, will put Malaysia in a negative light," said Kerk.

Jayakumar told the Singapore Parliament on Thursday that the ongoing dispute needed to be resolved in order for the two countries to focus their attention on fighting terrorism in Southeast Asia.

In addition, Jayakumar said Singapore was prepared to bring the matter to the Permanent Court of Arbitration in the Hague for settlement

Review clause expired

Meanwhile, Syed Hamid was quoted in a Bernama report today as saying that he would certainly be bringing the matter up for discussion in parliament next week.

The minister said parliament would be the best forum to discuss and respond to Jayakumar's statement that the republic will challenge Malaysia's right to review the 1961 and 1962 water agreements.

"If there is a motion (on the matter) in parliament, it is up to the Speaker to decide. But if there is no motion, than I have to raise the issue under a different procedure," he reportedly said.

On a related matter, Kerk also called on Syed Hamid to explain why Johor had not exercised its right to review the water price in accordance with the agreements in 1986 and 1987, as claimed by Singapore.

Two weeks ago, the Singapore foreign ministry issued a press statement stating that Malaysia had no legal grounds to seek a review of the water price since it failed to invoke clauses in the 1961 and 1962 agreements which allow for a price review after 25 years.

To date, Malaysia has not responded to this claim by Singapore.

Hit a brickwall

Malaysia is currently selling water to the republic at three sen for 1,000 gallons but is seeking to raise this price to 60 sen per 1,000 gallons.

After several weeks at the negotiating table, the bilateral talks appeared to have hit a brickwall with Singapore refusing to offer a price higher than 45 sen per 1,000 gallons.

Singapore recently began recycling waste water on a limited scale to cut its dependence on Malaysian water, and has said it will be in a position to let one of the two countries' water agreements lapse in 2011.

A second agreement expires in 2061.