Selangor water distributor Syabas has filed defamation suits against Selangor Menteri Besar Abdul Khalid Ibrahim and Petaling Jaya Utara MP Tony Pua over their statements against the company.

syabas logo A writ of summons was served on the duo last Friday and the matter was heard yesterday at the Kuala Lumpur High Court, where they were given a month to prepare their defence.

It is understood that Khalid is being sued for criticisms against Syabas’ establishment of a special fund dubbed Tabung Budi to collect money from Selangor residents who want to waive state subsidies for 20 cubic metres of water, that amounts to RM11.40.

The money collected was purportedly meant to help Selangor households that have no access to clean water. Syabas claims that more than RM350,000 have been collected thus far.

NONE Khalid ( left ) had accused Syabas of double dipping through this scheme and that anyone who wants to waive their subsidies should rightfully return the money to the state, and not to the company.

Speaking at a press conference at Shah Alam today, Khalid said that his administration will not waver from its position on Tabung Budi .

“Syabas does not have the right to ask consumers to hand the funds to them because the subsidies were given by the state government through its free water programme,” said Khalid.

Intimidation tactic

Pua meanwhile is being sued for comments that appeared in Nanyang Siang Pau , where he purportedly suggested that the water concessionaires should be taken over by the state if they could not settle their debts.

NONE “This is just an act to intimidate us. Only the both of us, Khalid and myself were given the letter,” said Pua, who was also at the press conference.

Pua ( right ) is a member of the Selangor water panel, that is tasked with negotiations with water industry players and the federal government over the latter’s water restructuring exercise.

Khalid added that the state water regulatory officer has written to Syabas to demand that the water company does not foot the legal fees for this suit, as it does not involve the company’s function.

Instead, the legal costs should be personally borne by Syabas directors for initiating the suit, said Khalid.