The Federation of Malaysian Manufacturers (FMM) disagrees with requests for a halt on sale of water to industrial users through private water tankers during rationing in Selangor.

Selangor FMM chairperson Soh Thian Lai said that companies stand to lose RM15 million in costs and sales if production is halted, due to inability to purchase water via private tankers.

He also told The Star that a food and beverage company in Shah Alam spends RM150,000 a day to procure 120 tanker-loads of water, including for rental, water supply and water testing.

This follows MCA’s urging for the state government and concessionaire Syarikat Bekalan Air Selangor (Syabas) to explain why private tankers are allowed to supply commercial users at the expense of domestic users.

Syabas has lodged a police report against MCA for alluding that it was depriving water to domestic users so that it can sell the water to commercial users via private tankers for a higher fee.

Selangor Menteri Besar Abdul Khalid Ibrahim has also urged MCA to lodge reports to enforcement agencies if it suspects anything untoward.

Separately, the New Straits Times reported that the state is mulling buying water from Sungai Bernam, Perak to ease the water shortage as it is closer than the Triang dam in Negri Sembilan.

Selangor had rejected Negri Sembilan’s offer to sell water as it is too expensive to bring the water from Triang dam to the Sungai Selangor dam in Kuala Kubu Baru.

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