Rakyat shouldn't suffer due to Perlis water company failures - Gan

PKR’s Indera Kayangan assemblyperson Gan Ay Ling questioned the latest water tariff hikes, arguing that the pubic should not be made to bear the failures of Syarikat Air Perlis (SAP).

She said she received complaints about low water pressure, an ongoing lack of clean water supplied to homes, and frequent water disruptions without prior notice.

“The rakyat in Perlis have the right to ask: what is the justification for this tariff hike, when the services being offered are still at an abysmal standard?

“Most importantly, the non-revenue water (NRW) rate in Perlis is reported as one of the highest in Malaysia, at 62 percent – meaning that more than half of the treated water is lost before it reaches consumers,” she said.

Gan (above) urged the Perlis government and SAP to explain how the revenue from the tariff hike will be used, and how they plan to address the issue of poor water quality and supply.

She also questioned if there would be any mechanisms in place, including subsidies or exceptions for low-income users.

The government recently imposed water tariff hikes in all peninsula states except Perak.

In January 2024, Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim said an increase in water tariffs had been requested by all menteris besar and chief ministers on the peninsula.

While water is under the purview of states, the Water Services Industry Act stipulates that tariff rates must be approved by the federal government.

For users with individual meters in Selangor, Kuala Lumpur, and Putrajaya, the minimum monthly charge is unchanged at RM6.50.

Likewise, the minimum charge in Johor for individual meters remains at RM10.50.

The highest increase in minimum charges is in Perlis (RM1.60 higher at RM8.80) and Kelantan (RM1.20 higher at RM8).

High consumption users will be most affected in Terengganu, where the tariff for the second and third tiers of usage is going up by 86 sen and RM1.17, respectively.

‘Pressure on B40 families’

In Perlis, the hikes saw a rise by 22 percent, increasing from RM7.20 to RM8.80, which Gan emphasised as an issue of widespread concern to the people of Perlis.

She lamented that the hikes have occurred at a time when the overall cost of living also continues to increase, adding that this is especially burdensome for women, single mothers, and families struggling to meet basic needs.

“The psychological impact and pressure on B40 families will surely increase in folds as a result of these tariff hikes. These latest hikes are also among the highest in Malaysia, in one of the country’s poorest states. It is apparent that this is a result of the state government’s systemic failures,” she said.

Gan also criticised the lack of transparency in SAP’s plans to address the high costs of NRW, to fix broken piping and sewage, and to improve the capacity of local water treatment systems.

“The state government should understand the needs and livelihood of the rakyat. The rakyat should not be victims of systemic failures within state administrations.”

S'gor's minimum water charge for domestic users remains RM6.50 - MB

Water tariff hikes in all peninsula states except Perak from Aug 1

Tariff hike in N Sembilan for sustainability, says water company

Rep questions profit as Malacca water company seeks another tariff hike