The most recent water supply disruptions in Selangor are inexcusable and DAP state chief Tony Pua blamed this on the incompetence of the state government.

With the dry season having long been forecast, there was "no longer any valid reason for the lack of preparation or contingency plan to meet the challenges of low water supply", the Petaling Jaya Utara MP said in a statement today.

Pua (right) said both Selangor Menteri Besar Abdul Khalid Ibrahim and state executive councillor for youth and sports, infrastructure and public utilities Ahmad Yunus Hairi had respectively, on June 11 and 17, guaranteed there would be no need for water rationing.

"The fact that the serious water disruptions are occurring over the past week, so soon after the 'guarantee' provided by the state government, only exposes a lack of seriousness in tackling the issue and sheer incompetence on the part of the relevant authorities.

"Such a degree of incompetence cannot be tolerated because it has embarrassed the menteri besar and the state government, as well as severely damaged Pakatan Rakyat's credibility," said Pua.

According to the MP, parts of Selangor - such as Gombak, Petaling, Balakong and Bangi - have already been hit by water disruptions even before the dreaded El Nino phenomenon.

Shocking and unacceptable

"This is a shocking and unacceptable development, and Selangorians are right to be both angry and worried about the deteriorating situation that will possibly culminate in another round of painful water rationing,” Pua said.

Over 700,000 households in the state and Kuala Lumpur were affected by the unscheduled water disruptions due to low water levels at water treatment plants.

Syarikat Bekalan Air Selangor Sdn Bhd (Syabas) in a statement yesterday blamed the disruptions on the inability of the treatment plants to meet he high demand of water from the areas.

Pua said this was inexcusable after Selangor residents having already weathered a two-month long water rationing, at the end of February.

“Heads must therefore roll if the water disruptions are to continue and the state is forced to implement another round of water rationing. There can be no more excuses.”

Pua urged the Selangor government to consider the call by Serdang MP Ong Kian Ming ( left ) to set up a water task committee comprising the menteri besar, state officers and key elected representatives.

“Ong also called upon the state government to put in place contingency plans such as creating dedicated water disbursement teams in areas prone to water disruption and provide it with sufficient resources,” the PJ Utara MP added.

While waiting for the impending takeover of the operations of  Syabas and the water industry by the state government, Pua said, immediate actions to ensure adquate water supply for the people should be taken in the meantime.

“These measures must be urgently considered and executed to relieve the burden of the suffering rakyat while we await the improvements on water management .”

'Wrong for Pua to point fingers'

Meanwhile, the menteri besar said it is wrong for Pua to point fingers at the state government, state secretariat and  economic planning unit who had worked hard on the restructuring of the water industry.

"I am worried that accusations by Pakatan leaders will dispirit the concerned officers.

"Pua should urge Syabas and its top executives who are highly paid to work professionally, or at least urge them to cooperate with the state government to raise the standards of the water industry," Khalid said in a statement.

"Although the Selangor government has not yet entered a water supply crisis, I think it would be best for all political party leaders in the government and state officials to focus on reaching a solution and not issue provocative statements that are neither useful nor accurate."

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