GEORGE TOWN, Jan 10 — The domestic water tariff rate in Penang only increased once in the 10 years under Pakatan Harapan (PH), Penang Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow said.
He refuted allegations by former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak that the state government had increased the rate four times in the last 10 years.
“I would like to correct him, we only increased it once, I don’t have the exact data with me, but I know it is only once,” he told reporters when asked to respond to Najib.
Chow then thanked Najib for his interest in Penang by commenting on the state’s proposed water tariff rate hike.
“I am flattered that he noticed what we say here in Penang,” he said.
Chow explained that Penang did introduce the Water Conservation Surcharge (WCS) and increased it a few times but this surcharge only applies on those who use more than 35,000 litres of water per month.
“As I said yesterday, the WCS will be taken away because it will now be included in the proposed rate increase,” he said.
He said a higher water tariff rate will mean there is no longer any need for a surcharge to reduce water usage.
The WCS was introduced to reduce water wastage and the rate is 48 cents for every 1,000 litres after the first 35,000 litres.
The domestic water tariff rate is 32 cents for every 1,000 litres for the first 35,000 litres.
Chow said the Water, Land and Natural Resources Ministry is implementing a tariff mechanism that started during the previous administration under Barisan Nasional (BN).
“It was not implemented because they could not reach a consensus,” he said.
Under the exercise, he said the ministry wanted to standardise the tariff mechanism across all states.
He added that the water tariff rates, whether it is 35 sen or 69 sen, depended on the respective state government.
“Each state has a different situation as costs can be higher or lower, so it is up to each state to determine the actual rate and it must be approved by SPAN,” he said, referring to the National Water Services Commission.
Yesterday, Chow said that in line with the ministry’s announcement to standardise the water tariff mechanism, the Penang state government has proposed a water tariff rate increase of up to 20 per cent.
The last time the state government increased its water tariff rate was in 2015.
Prior to that, it was in 1993 under the previous BN government.
Penang Gerakan Chairman Oh Tong Keong issued a statement slamming the state government for increasing water tariff rates at this time.
“The slowdown in the economy and the people are facing increased costs especially with SST and possibly petrol price increase, now there are increasing water rates, this means the people will suffer,” he said.
He said Gerakan is fully against the increase of water tariff rates and asked that the state government reconsider this.
