GEORGE TOWN, March 29 — The Penang Water Supply Corporation (PBAPP) today explained that the implementation of new tariffs only involves non-domestic consumption including schools in the state as per regulations set by the federal government.

Its chief executive officer K. Pathmanathan said there have been misleading statements and allegations published in the mass media recently regarding the implementation of new water tariffs for non-domestic consumption in Penang.

"In an official letter (dated July 29, 2022), the National Water Services Commission (SPAN) as the national water services regulatory body stated that new water tariffs for non-domestic consumption for all the states in Peninsular Malaysia and Labuan had been gazetted for implementation from August 1, 2022.

"This shows that the new water tariffs are not only implemented in Penang,” he said in a statement today.

He added that there will be no change in the water tariffs for domestic consumption in Penang and other states in the published regulations.

Pathmanathan said as per the federal regulations for all states in the peninsula, gazetted on July 29 last year, water consumption in schools is categorised as "non-domestic consumption”.

He said PBAPP was only officially notified of the revised tariffs for non-domestic consumption in Penang and the categorisation of water consumption by schools after the gazettement of the federal regulations.

"As the water supply operator in Penang under a licence issued by SPAN, PBAPP is obliged to comply with federal regulations,” he said.

According to him, the revised tariffs for non-domestic water consumption in Penang were due for implementation on August 8, 2022, however, PBAPP only started billing for non-domestic water consumption in the state under the new regulations from Jan 1 this year.

Pathmanathan also stressed that PBAPP and the Penang government did not set, approve or gazette the new tariffs for non-domestic consumption in Penang, which were implemented by the federal government on July 22, 2022.

"The previous federal government revised the tariffs for non-domestic consumption for 11 states and Labuan, and not only for Penang.

"Also, as clearly defined by its title, a "federal regulation” may only be amended by the federal government,” he said. — Bernama