Barisan Nasional government holds back RM1.1 billion allocation in Permatang Pauh

Sun2Surf

The federal government’s move to hold back RM1.1 billion allocation for expansion of the Mengkuang Dam, located in Permatang Pauh here, will cause critical water shortage for Penang’s growing population in four years.

Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng has warned that the expansion must be implemented by early next year and completed by 2012 to ensure Penang has sufficient raw water to meet increasing water demand until 2024.

Lim briefed Jaseni (right).at Mengkuang Dam.

In a site visit to the dam today, Lim questioned the federal authorities’ reluctance to release the funds even though the state is experiencing an average population growth rate of 2.36% per year.

“This is not responsible at all. We cannot accept this,” said Lim who noted that the dam is the single most important strategic reserve dam in Penang because it stores raw water from the Sungai Muda, from which the Penang Water Supply Corporation (PBAPP) extracts 80% of its daily water.

“Even water supply also you don’t want to give! Is this because this was Azizah’s (PKR president Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail) area and is now being contested by Anwar (PKR adviser Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim)?” he asked.

Lim noted that the allocation has not been fulfilled even though it was originally confirmed in the 8th Malaysia Plan. The project was later to be financed fully by a loan from the federal government under the 9th Malaysia Plan.

Penang’s population has increased from 1.23 million people in 1998 to 1.52 million in 2007, and is expected to reach 2.06 million by 2020, Lim explained.

The dam is the largest in Penang with a total storage capacity of 23.6 billion litres. The expansion aims to increase the capacity by about 3.7 times to 86.4 billion litres.

Stressing that the project was “berjiwa rakyat” (people-centric), he said it would boost the development of Permatang Pauh area.

It would also help mitigate floods as there is a system to channel excess water in several areas in Seberang Perai to the dam, Lim added.

On Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi’s reported comment that the Federal Government would not give any money to the state following the Penang State Assembly’s motion to ask the federal government for funds due to the state, Lim said:

“He has been misinformed. We are not asking for compensation. We are asking what is due to Penangites who are also taxpayers.“

“When Pak Lah retires in two years, I am sure he will want to return to Penang. And he would not want to stay here without water,” he added.

Also present were PBAPP general manager Jaseni Maidinsa, State Executive Councillors Ong Kok Fooi and Abdul Malek Abul Kassim, DAP Bukit Mertajam MP Chong Eng, DAP Padang Lalang assemblyman Tan Cheong Leng and PAS Permatang Pasir assemblyman Mohd Hamdan Abd Rahman.

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