Johor State Public Works, Rural and Regional Development Committee chairperson Ir Hasni Mohammad today denied allegations that someone planned to take over SAJ Holdings Sdn Bhd to the extent that the state government had quickly raised the water tariff.

“The state government had never received any application from any quarters to take over the equity of SAJ,” he said.

He also criticised the action by certain groups in questioning why there had been no protests in the media of public demonstration in the state on the proposed increase in water tariff.

“They say the Johor people are rich because they do not oppose the increase in water tariff. This is a provocation against the people of Johor,” he said.

He said this when opening the 7th Biennial General Meeting of the SAJ Holdings Sdn Bhd Workers’ Union for the 2014-2016 term in Kukup today.

Last Tuesday, Hasni was reported as saying that the state government would make a decision on the tariff rate for water in the state by early next year at the latest.

He said the state government would also look into the request by SAJ that it would not be charged any payment for taking raw water in the state when the Water Enactment Bill 1921 amendment 2014 is approved by the state legislative assembly last June is implemented.

Under the amendment, any industry taking raw water from any source such as river or underground water would be imposed a payment by the state government via the Johor Water Regulatory Body (Bakaj).

- Bernama