Selangor should not have left the Federal Government out of a recent forum on the state’s water supply issues, said Datuk Seri Peter Chin Fah Kui.
Describing it as a one-sided affair at the Selangor Water Forum 2012 over a week ago, the Energy, Green Technology and Water Minister claimed that numerous “misleading facts” were raised that could have been clarified by the Federal Government.
“They didn’t even ask us (ministry) to attend. Both SPAN (National Water Services Commission) and Syabas (Syarikat Bekalan Air Selangor) were not there. Even the Malaysian Water Association was not there.
“If you want a forum to discuss water, you should get everybody there,” said Chin.
Chin, whose ministry is in a deadlock with the Selangor Government over the issue of water, also criticised Mentri Besar Tan Sri Khalid Ibrahim and his administration for opposing the proposal to increase treated water production capacity.
Citing figures of treated water production and demand over the one week period from June 5, Chin warned that water reserves averaged just 1.67 per cent of the capacity, which hovered close to a potential supply deficit.
“Making matters worse is the fact that two of the 10 main treatment plants in the state Sungai Semenyih and Sungai Langat have been running over-capacity during that same week, churning out as much as 24 per cent more than the plants can normally handle.
“They (Selangor Government) are playing this (water reserves) too thin for comfort. The dry months are not over yet. The driest months are still coming in July and August. The danger zone is so near and we may end up having to resort to rationing,” he said.