PUTRAJAYA, July 27 — Water, Land and Natural Resources Minister Dr Xavier Jayakumar rejected today a foreign news report alleging the government would buy out Syarikat Pengeluar Air Selangor Holdings (Splash) for RM1.9 billion, saying negotiation was ongoing.
Speaking to a press conference after attending the National Land Celebration Day 2018, Dr Xavier also denied providing The Straits Times with the purported figure price despite being quoted in the Singapore outlet’s report.
“This is a report from a Singapore newspaper, they quoted my name because I said complete transfer by 10th August but I never mentioned quantum. (The deal) is between Air Selangor and Splash, when they are comfortable with it they will present it to me.
“Negotiation is ongoing and I gave them a deadline and I want them to keep the deadline and by 10th August,” said Dr Xavier, adding he does not know the prices the two parties are seeking.
He said earlier this week that the negotiations on the water deal is 80 per cent complete.
Selangor, the country’s most industrialised state, has been beset with water problems for the past decade.
Efforts to resolve the supply instability was hampered by politicking between the then Barisan Nasional federal government and the PKR-led state government after Election 2008.
The Selangor government through Air Selangor had paid RM1.68 billion to successfully buy over the equities of three other water companies Puncak Niaga Sdn Bhd, Konsortium ABASS, and Syabas.
Splash had previously rejected to an offer of RM250 million, saying that its assets were valued far more than that.
