KUALA LUMPUR – Throughout the years, water disruptions both scheduled and unscheduled, have affected millions of users in Selangor and the Klang Valley.
According to the the Deputy Treasurer General of MCA, Datuk Ir Lawrence Low, Air Selangor’s announcement of water tariff hikes which have been raised at a rate of 20 sen per cubic metre for non-domestic users, houses of worship and ships effective of 1 August, only adds to the frustration of the people.
“The economy still needs more time to recover, and the people are still struggling with inflation. Even though the higher rates only apply to commercial users such as hawkers and factories, it would be far too naive to think that the price increase will not be passed on to consumers. At the end of the day, the water tariff hike will still be felt by everyone,” he said.
Although the water tariff has not been adjusted for several years, this adjustment is not timely for the time being.
“If Air Selangor has a good track record and needs more funds for upgrades and improving their services in the future, I am sure the majority of the people would not be against such a move. However, how can Air Selangor ask for more money when their services for these past years were filled with failures and disappointed users?
“There were so many times that rivers were polluted, yet what have the authorities learned which they can apply for future incidents?
“Recent news also reported an expected 16 hours scheduled water disruption in Hulu Selangor on 9 August. Will these problems be reduced after the tariff hike?,” he questioned.
He also urged Air Selangor to realign its priorities by tackling pre-existing problems such as the loss of non-revenue water (NRW). According to him, by reducing the loss of NRW, Air Selangor will have more wiggle room for their finances, without needing to raise water rates.
“Water is a basic human right. Inside Malaysia’s densest state, it is all the more important for water supply to be consistent and accessible to cater to the economy and livelihood activities.
“I urge the Selangor state government and Air Selangor to work together and study ways to reduce the frequency of water cuts,” he said. -MalaysiaGazette
