The Selangor government has collected close to 900 signatures in its online petition to return the rights over from private concessionaires back to the state.

dj jamal hishammudin rais and teresa kok forum 270910 08 However, according to Selangor executive councilor Teresa Kok ( right ), the total number of signatures could be higher as it does not include those collected at forums and signature drives which began on Nov 18.

"We were able to collect about 400 signatures for two-hour signature drives at markets. People are interested to know, but are less attracted to come to forums on the issue as there is not as much awareness," she said when contacted.

She added that the state government was forced to to take the issue back to the rakyat, and to collect signatures for a petition which it will send to the Agong, after running into a wall for two years.

Selangor is in an ongoing tussle with concessionaire Syabas which has threatened to take the state to court for refusing to allow it to raise tariffs, which it claimed was agreed upon in an agreement with the incumbent BN Selangor government.

The Selangor government, however, has adamantly refused. Among other claims, it says that Syabas is responsible for high non-revenue water (NWA) and that the resource can be better managed under the state.

More details of the petition can be found here .