SHAH ALAM, March 21 — Selangor should expand its free monthly water quota to households with income in the Middle 40th percentile (M40), Sungai Pelek assemblyman Ronnie Liu said today.
Liu acknowledged that Selangor offered such assistance to those in the Bottom 40th (B40) percentile, but stressed that economic hardships were more widespread and were also affecting those in the lower middle class.
“They (the M40) represent the majority of voters in Selangor and are surprised that the plan to subsidise 20 cubic metres of water was only reserved for B40 households,” he said.
Aside from the free water, he also said Selangor should periodically review aid schemes for the M40 to see if these could be enhanced.
The previous Pakatan Rakyat government introduced the blanket free water quota after winning the state from Barisan Nasional in 2008 and continued it after the 2013 general election.
However, the current Pakatan Harapan administration announced after last year’s general election that it will restrict the scheme to those in the B40 from this year.
Selangor Mentri Besar Amirudin Shari projected that this would save the state RM105.2 million, which he said could be used for other welfare programmes.
