PENANG’S vulnerability to water dependence on Sungai Muda was amply demonstrated when the Sungai Dua water plant was shut recently to prevent the flow of turbid water from Sungai Muda.
Penang takes 80% of water supply from Sungai Muda with its source in the hills of the water catchment area in Ulu Muda.
The floods in the Baling area were the source of water turbidity in Sungai Muda.
It has been alleged that clearing of forests in the Baling area were responsible for the flood but Kedah Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Muhammad Sanusi Md Noor had vehemently denied this by saying that the forest clearing for a durian plantation was stopped sometime back.
Nevertheless, due to seriousness of the flood, Sanusi had been bombarded with allegations of forest clearance and the failure to protect water sources.
The Penang state government was always aware of its over dependence on Sungai Muda, but the need to shut down the water treatment plant at Sungai Dua was something abrupt due to water turbidity.
As result water had to be drawn from the Mengkuang Dam that has a capacity to supply 80% of Penang’s population for 105 days.
Thus, with the flow of water from the Mengkuang Dam, turbidity was reduced and water supply restored to affected areas.
This very recent incident had come as shock to the Penang state government.
Its over-dependence on raw water from Sungai Muda cannot be underestimated. Even though the state is withdrawing water from its side of Sungai Muda, the source is in the state of Kedah.
Penang, rather than responding to the whims and fancies of the mercurial Sanusi, is more interested in a long-term solution to address water supply not just to Penang but to states like Kedah and Perlis.
This was the reason why Penang had proposed the setting-up of federal government-initiated water authority in the Muda area which is something other countries had done.
But unfortunately, under the present unimaginative Environment and Water Minister Tuan Ibrahim Tuan Man nothing is moving in the direction.
While a nice man he is totally ineffective in resolving water woes in the country.
His notion of a bilateral solution to water matters between Kedah and Penang might not work simply because of Sanusi’s irrationality.
Federal intervention is necessary and urgent before another major incident deprives people in both states of the much-needed water supply.
As was revealed in the case of Selangor several years ago, water shortage will drive away potential investors.
The right to clean water is fundamental right of the people in Malaysia, but politicians should stop blaming nature for its shortage.
Sanusi might castigate the non-governmental organisations for blaming the state for the recent disruption in water supply, but he cannot hide the sad fact of deforestation in parts of Kedah especially in water catchment areas.
He described the flood in Baling as a natural disaster without admitting the fact that timber extraction and other forms of deforestation are also responsible for floods in the states.
The efforts on the part of the Penang state to draw water from Sungai Perak has come to a dead end.
Although the final decision has not been made, Perak is not too keen to share its water with Penang although the scheme suggested by Penang is for water supply to both the states.
Again, the federal government is sitting on the matter without any imaginative solution in light of future water needs – not just Penang’s but Perak’s as well.
Water demands are going to increase among the states in Malaysia.
The Environment and Water Ministry seems to be unable to fathom this problem despite the existence of legislations at its disposal.
Even the water rates for states have not been revised for some time.
Penang has the lowest water rate in the country, but the permission to raise the rates in view of demand and to meet the capital expenditure have come to a naught.
Unless the federal government takes the lead in resolving long term water woes in states through coordinated efforts, water supply is going to continue shrinking in the country. – July 7, 2022
Prof Ramasamy Palanisamy is the state assemblyperson for Perai. He is also deputy chief minister II of Penang.
The views expressed are solely of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Focus Malaysia.
