TheEdge:Jayakumar: Federal govt wants Langat 2 plant first

KUALA LUMPUR: The federal government appears reluctant to proceed with any further discussions on the Selangor water restructuring exercise without the state government first agreeing to the development of Langat 2 Water Treatment Plant (WTP).

“In a meeting held on Sept 6, 2011, despite the state government’s previous agreement to the proposed holistic restructuring, the federal government through the Energy, Green Technology and Water Ministry insisted on proceeding with the development of Langat 2 WTP on a standalone basis without implementing the remaining proposals under the previously agreed restructuring of the Selangor water industry,” Selangor state exco member Dr Xavier Jayakumar said in a statement distributed in Parliament yesterday.

He said the state government had in April 2011 agreed to implement a proposed restructuring with the federal government that would ensure the long term sustainability of the Selangor water industry through the treatment and supply of water by a holistic water operator, wholly owned by the state.


According to Jayakumar, the proposed restructuring would address the inefficiencies of the current fragmented water business model in Selangor.

“Without the proposed restructuring, the inefficiencies of the current fragmented business model such as the rate of non-revenue water (NRW), which continues to remain high at 32%, will remain unresolved and continue to burden the people of Selangor,” he said, adding that the state is committed to the restructuring of its water industry via a holistic business model that has been successfully implemented in Penang, Melaka, Negeri Sembilan and Johor.

Yesterday, Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin chaired the National Water Resource Council which agreed to implement the National Water Resources Policy in all states and for the federal government to ensure an integrated and sustainable water resource management.

“The meeting also discussed the federal and state governments’ commitment towards integrated management of water resources to ensure water quality at a minimum of Class 2,” said the council in a statement.