GEORGE TOWN, March 22 — Deputy Agriculture and Food Industries Ministry (MAFI) minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Hamzah has advised Penang, Kedah and Perak to resolve raw water issues in the northern region amicably for the sake of the people.
He said the three state governments must seek a solution to resolve the current raw water issue involving the three states as it could affect the agriculture sector in the northern region.
“Land and water issues come under the jurisdiction of the respective state governments so we, the federal government, hope the three states will come to an understanding to address the issue for the benefit of all,” he said in a press conference today at the opening of the 24th Malaysian National Committee on Irrigation and Drainage Conference (MANCO 24th).
He was responding to questions on the effects of the water issues on the agriculture sector in Penang especially after discussions on the Sungai Perak Raw Water Transfer Scheme (SPRWTS) project hit a snag.
Ahmad hoped the three states will discuss and come up with a ‘concrete and meaningful’ solution to the issue.
Penang has been trying to implement SPRWTS since 2013 but it never took off and on March 1, Penang Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow met with Perak Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Saarani Mohamad regarding the project.
The project is believed to be delayed yet again when Saarani said the state did not have sufficient raw water supply for SPRWTS to be implemented.
SPRWTS is part of the Penang Water Supply Initiative 2050 (PWSI 2050) to mitigate Penang’s raw water risks until 2030.
Penang is also facing pressure from Kedah over water issues, with the latter demanding an RM50 million annual payment for the raw water Penang extracts from Sungai Muda.
