The Star Online: Nation
The Star Online: Nation |
- Chin: Intended takeover of Syabas violates water concession agreement
- 5.7 magnitude quake hits northern Sumatra
- By-pass pipe to be ready Sunday to bring some relief to Klang Valley water crisis
| Chin: Intended takeover of Syabas violates water concession agreement Posted: 10 Jan 2013 07:51 AM PST PUTRAJAYA: The Selangor government cannot take over Syarikat Bekalan Air Selangor Sdn Bhd (Syabas) for it violates the conditions stipulated in the water concession agreement, said Energy, Green Technology and Water Minister Datuk Seri Peter Chin Fah Kui. He said the company was appointed to manage and administer water supply in Selangor in 2004 and the state government would be liable if it were to terminate the contract. Commenting on Selangor's demand to take over water operations from Syabas to resolve water woes in the Klang Valley, he said the state government should instead hold talks with Syabas for the acquisition could only materialise if Syabas agree to it. "Let me tell Selangor Mentri Besar Tan Sri Khalid Ibrahim that the federal government had never stopped the state from taking over the company because we do not have any equity in the company except for a golden share for the purpose of monitoring," he told reporters. Khalid had asserted that Syabas' failure to fulfil its responsibilities under the concession agreement with the state in providing services to consumers has made it imperative for the state to step in. He said this in the wake of the water crisis in 90 areas in Gombak and Ampang allegedly due to the Wangsa Maju water pump house operating at excess capacity, affecting nearly 500,000 users. Urging the state government to stop blaming Syabas for the water crisis, Chin said: "This is not a takeover issue, instead all quarters, namely the state government, Syabas and the federal government should sit down and find a solution to ensure that this problem does not recur for water is the basic need of the people. "The federal government is ever willing to help in any way it can and plan future water needs." - Bernama Related Stories: |
| 5.7 magnitude quake hits northern Sumatra Posted: 10 Jan 2013 07:49 AM PST KUALA LUMPUR: A moderate earthquake measuring 5.7 on the Richter scale hit northern Sumatra in Indonesia at 9.47pm Thursday. The Malaysian Meteorological Department said the location of the quake was 101km southwest of Banda Aceh in Indonesia and 554km southwest of Langkawi, Kedah. The quake did not pose any tsunami threat, the statement added. - Bernama |
| By-pass pipe to be ready Sunday to bring some relief to Klang Valley water crisis Posted: 10 Jan 2013 06:21 AM PST KUALA LUMPUR: Work to install a by-pass pipe to channel water via the gravity method from the Dusun Kubong water retention pond to AU3 Baru and AU3 Lama suction tanks is scheduled to be completed by Sunday. National Water Services Commission (SPAN) chief executive officer Datuk Teo Yen Hua said when completed, water supply to the two tanks need not go through the Wangsa Maju pump house. "The water disruption in the Klang Valley was caused by the reduction of pumping rate of 30 million litres per day (MLD) of water supply from the Wangsa Maju pump house. "At this time, the Wangsa Maju pumping system is operating at a restricted flow of 180MLD compared to the previous rate of 210 MLD. "This is to prevent recurrence of pump failure due to overloading," he said in a statement on Thursday. He said 30MLD of water that would be available to the two suction tanks would be channelled to areas most in need. Teo said AU3 Baru supplied water to areas AU1 to AU5, Keramat, Ulu Klang Free Trade Zone and surrounding areas encompassing 16,215 accounts. AU3 Lama serviced Wangsa Melawati, Taman Permata, Taman Setapak Jaya and surrounding areas with accounts numbering 14,758, he said. Installation of the by-pass pipe, proposed by Syarikat Bekalan Air Selangor Sdn Bhd (Syabas), began on Tuesday after receiving the nod from SPAN. Teo also said SPAN, the Energy, Green Technology and Water Ministry, Pengurusan Aset Air Berhad (PAAB) and the Selangor governmnet were expediting several mitigation projects to increase supply capacity in Selangor, Kuala Lumpur and Putrajaya. "In view of the reserve margin of water supply in Selangor, Kuala Lumpur and Putrajaya being at a low level currently, consumers are urged to use water sparingly," he said. About half a million residents in Gombak, Ampang and Pandan in the Klang Valley have been facing intermittent water supply since Dec 29 after the Wangsa Maju pump house experienced malfunctions. - Bernama |
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