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Ex-MB Khalid expects S'gor free water to dry up after Splash takeover
Published:  Aug 4, 2018 11:13 AM
Updated: 4:56 AM

Selangor is likely to end its free water programme after the Syarikat Pengeluar Air Selangor Holdings (Splash) takeover, speculates former menteri besar Abdul Khalid Ibrahim.

As Khalid claimed in a Facebook post, this is because the state government will pay 10 times more for the takeover than the price he was offered in 2013 as then-menteri besar.

“I am not surprised with the announcement (of the offer), because among the reasons why I quit as Selangor menteri besar in 2014 was because of some PKR leaders who wanted to offer a higher price to Splash, and I rejected it based on protecting the rakyat's interests,” he claimed.

“The strategy of the state government today has given the chance for Splash shareholders to get profit and compensation that is excessive.

“At the same time, it has placed a burden and the responsibility to pay the costs on the people, via higher tariffs,” he said.

Khalid said that as a result, the Selangor government may take steps to review the free water programme for the poor, and warned residents in the state to “brace themselves” for the worst.

“I pray for Selangorians to be strong in facing this (possible) big change,” he wrote.

Yesterday Bernama reported that Menteri Besar Amirudin Shari had agreed in principle to accept Splash's offer of RM2.55 billion, which would involve an upfront payment of RM1.9 billion by Air Selangor, and the remaining RM650 million to be paid in annual instalments over nine years.

Khalid was sacked from PKR in August 2014 for refusing to step down to make way for party president Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail to take over the menteri besar post.

His refusal to vacate the menteri besar's office triggered a protracted administrative crisis, which finally ended when he relented and handed the post to PKR deputy president Mohamed Azmin Ali, who took over in September that year.

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