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Resolve problems, not ration water, state PKR tells Johor
Published:  May 13, 2016 12:35 PM
Updated: 11:11 AM

Johor PKR has called upon state government to take proactive steps to resolve the water shortage like sourcing for alternative water supply and strengthening enforcement against those who trespass into water catchment areas, instead of just resorting to rationing.

"I call upon the Johor government to take immediate measures to transfer water from unaffected dams to the four districts and source for alternative supply such as from underground sources to resolve our water shortage so there would be no need for any water rationing," said Johor PKR deputy chairperson Jimmy Puah Wee Tse in a statement.

He added that despite the coming into force of the new 2014 amendments to the Johor Water Enactment 1921 which give wide powers to the relevant authorities to take action against those who trespass into dams and water catchment areas, no enforcement action seem to have been taken.

"Very little effort in fact has been utilised to actually apprehend the culprits as a casual drive around the water catchment areas in Johor would reveal many illegal industrial and agricultural activities, especially oil palm estate in close vicinity of water catchment areas and dams," he claimed.

Puah lamented that while they are paying the highest water tariff in Malaysia, Johoreans also had to suffer prolonged water rationing.

"The irony of all this is that despite having the highest water tariff in Malaysia, RM1.31 per cubic meter, Johoreans may have to suffer while Penang, despite having the lowest water tariff in Malaysia; RM0.32 per cubic has yet to face water rationing issue," he said.

He was responding to the announcement by Johor Public Works, Rural and Regional Development exco Hasni Mohommad that water rationing in some areas around Johor Bahru and Pasir Gudang districts may be enforced by end of the month.

Puah, who is also Bukit Batu assemblyperson, related that currently Mersing and Kota Tinggi are already under the water rationing schedule. In total four districts and 885,000 people could be affected by this latest exercise.

"It is very disheartening and disappointing to learn that the government may resort to water rationing despite earlier claim by the government last month that Johor will not resort to water rationing as there are other measures in place to counter this problem," he added.

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