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Stop the public relations publicity! Take responsibility and accountability, and just RESIGN!
For image info, go to https://www.nst.com.my/news/nation/2023/06/923120/pbapp-implement-four-water-supply-projects-sps
Penang government taking Penangites for a ride in water woes?
KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 24, 2024: On April 1, 2019, the Penang government’s Buletin Mutiara reported that the state has been working towards water supply security until 2050, based on the recommendations of a master plan study.
That was about five years ago. Was it an April Fool’s joke? Well, it is certainly not funny.
Today, Penangites have to endure another six days of dry taps.
If there was such a plan, Penangites should not be facing regular disruptions in water supply today.
So what happened?
Was the report of the plan just a bluff for public relations publicity to beef up the DAP-led state government’s administrative image?
Or worse still, the plan was simply not implemented due to imcompetence.
Of course it is easy to blame the previous Umno-led Barisan Nasional state government (then headed by Gerakan) for failing to maintain or upgrade the pipes or doing nothing for some six decades.
But, where is the current DAP-led state government’s responsibility and accountability?
Certainly heads must roll for responsibility and accountability starting with Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow and the Penang Water Supply Corporation (PBAPP) chief executive officer.
No News Is Bad News reproduces below the Buletin Mutiara report report on the current water woes:
State has water master plan, says Jaseni
Admin
PENANG has been working towards water supply security until 2050, based on the recommendations of a master plan study.
Penang Water Supply Corporation (PBAPP) chief executive officer Datuk Jaseni Maidinsa said PBAPP has been working on the strategies arising from the master plan for the last 10 years to ensure the state has enough water supply, including avoidance of water rationing.
“Penang has achieved a water reserve margin of 32.9% in 2018. This is the highest and safest margin in Malaysia. The national average margin was 14.3% in 2017. And this is only possible if we’ve a master plan,” Jaseni told reporters at Komtar today.
Jaseni was holding the press conference in the presence of Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow to dismiss allegations made by an Aliran report that the state has no water master plan, no comprehensive long-term plan to manage its water supply and promote water security, no follow-up on its campaign to save Ulu Muda (the water catchment for Sungai Muda) and has downplayed water security.
“This is how thick the 2009 master plan report is,” Jaseni showed pressmen the bundled documents to counter allegations made on March 26 by Aliran in a report entitled “Penang needs PWMP (Penang Water Master Plan) more than PTMP (Penang Transport Master Plan).”
“Our master plan report has been distributed to federal agencies, ministries, our regulator, Perak, SPAN and the Northern Corridor International Agency.
“We want to tell the truth so that people can compare when they said and what we said.”
He said in 2009, PBAPP commissioned an independent “Masterplan Study for Potable Water Supply in Penang until Year 2050”. This study projected Penang’s treated water demand to be 1,483 million litres per day (MLD) by 2030; 1,696 MLD by 2040 and 1,884 MLD by 2050.
The study noted that about 80% of Penang’s raw water was derived from Sungai Muda, and there was a need to reduce such heavy dependence from a single source.
Jaseni said the study proposed the implementation of the Sungai Perak Raw Water Transfer Scheme (SPRWTS) to tap a second major raw water resource for Penang.
“Since 2011, the Penang government and PBAPP have been pursuing the implementation of the SPRWTS, not only for the benefit of Penang, but also for the benefit of Northern Perak.
“However, the previous Federal Government did not do anything about the Sungai Perak scheme in the period 2012-2018. So now, with the new Federal Government, the Penang government and PBAPP will be pursuing the matter.”
Jaseni showing the “Masterplan Study for Potable Water in Penang until Year 2050” at the press conference. With him is Chow.
He added that the Ministry of Water, Land and Natural Resources (KATS) called for Perak and Penang to seek a “win-win” solution on tapping Sungai Perak as a raw water resource.
“In 2019, KATS has taken the lead in hosting talks between Perak and Penang in Putrajaya. KATS is now commissioning technical studies to determine the best way to implement this inter-state water transfer scheme.”
For Penang, Jaseni said the potential maximum raw water yield from SPRWTS is 1,000 MLD.
In 2018, PBAPP produced 1,073 MLD of treated water per day by abstracting raw water from Sungai Muda and other raw water resources in Penang.
“The projected water demand for Penang in 2050 is 1,884 MLD. As such, due to its promising potential yield, the SPRWTS may ensure water supply security for Penang until Year 2050.”
Jaseni added that it was also wrong to criticise that Penang has downplayed water security issue as PBAPP has been issuing many press statements.
Telling the media to check their archive, he said in the period 2016- 2018, PBAPP had issued 63 mass media releases on key water supply issues and developments in Penang and the northern region, including 15 releases referring specifically to Ulu Muda and Sungai Muda.
Besides that, he said PBAPP has also been actively posting water supply news on social media via Facebook and updating the effective capacities of Penang’s dams regularly on www.pba.com.my for public reference.
From 2008 to 2018, PBAPP invested RM682.6 million in water supply engineering projects in Penang.
On Jan 14 this year, PBAPP issued a media release stating that it was planning to invest a total of RM501 million in water supply projects in the period 2019 – 2021, for the benefit of Penang.
Jaseni said that PBAPP had also issued media release on Oct 23, 2018 proposing measures to protect Ulu Muda as a “Northern Region Water Catchment Area” in perpetuity.
PBAPP also proposed that a Federal department be established to monitor and manage Ulu Muda, not only as a rainforest area, but as a regional water catchment area; and provide Federal compensation to Kedah to conserve Ulu Muda, not only for Kedah, but for Perlis and Penang as well.
These proposals, Jaseni added, have also been tabled in meetings and communiques with KATS and the National Water Resources Council (MSAN).
Last year, the Kedah government finally agreed to ban logging in Ulu Muda rainforest area. It is the water catchment area for Sungai Muda, which presently serves as Penang’s one and only primary raw water source.
“In fact, after Penang and PBAPP had highlighted the importance of Ulu Muda as a regional raw water resource, logging was banned in its precious rainforests.
“Penang and PBAPP would like Ulu Muda to be properly conserved and protected for perpetuity. However, since Ulu Muda is in Kedah, the onus is on the Federal Government to work with Kedah to carry out the necessary actions.
“So, it is untrue that “nothing was said about Ulu Muda” after the Penang’s World Water Day 2018 commemoration on June 23 last year,” Jaseni explained.
Story by K.H. Ong
Pix by Ahmad Adil Muhamad
Video by Noor Siti Nabilah Noorazis
Sungai Perai pipe to get band-aid fix on Friday, says Chow
However, water supply will be cut again five days later to allow a permanent fix to be carried out.
Predeep Nambiar4 Jan 2024, 6:01pm
A screenshot from a video taken by a member of the public showing water gushing out from the Sungai Perai riverbed pipe which burst yesterday.
GEORGE TOWN: Penang will implement a stop-gap fix to a major leak at one of its key water supply pipes supplying at least half of the island, with water expected to flow back by Friday, says chief minister Chow Kon Yeow.
He said the measure would ensure water could be restored as soon as possible to the island’s southwest district and parts of Seberang Perai South. About 120,000 households are affected.
However, Chow said water supply would be cut again for those in the district on Jan 30, to allow a diversion of the problematic riverbed pipe.
“We are expediting two fixes. One is a quick fix by way of clamping the leaking portion in the river.
“The other fix is already ongoing, which is to quickly divert the pipe above ground by Jan 30,” he told reporters at the Penang Hindu Endowments Board office here.
Yesterday, the Sungai Perai riverbed pipe gave way for the fourth time since December.
Chow said if all goes according to plan, the affected consumers would have water flowing by 8am on Jan 26, and see a brief water cut five days later on Jan 30.
The water cut on Jan 30 is necessary so that a new S-bend pipe can be installed to divert the water supply above ground.
Chow said if the diversion works are successful, all users can expect water supply to be back on by Jan 31.
Yesterday, motorists on the Ampang Jajar bridge saw water gushing from the leaking Sungai Perai riverbed pipe.
This time, there was a 1.05m by 0.65m leak on the pipe, Chow said.
Penang’s four-day water shutdown puts pressure on chief minister as locals air complaints over inconvenience, losses
An expert says that while the current situation may be an inconvenience to many, the high repair costs and long-term water loss would be a worse consequence if the faulty pipes were left unrepaired.
The chairman of the Ridwaniah Sungai Batu Mosque in Bayan Lepas, Penang showing water tanks that have been stored for worshippers' usage in light of the state's scheduled water supply cut. (Photo: Bernama/Ariff Sarbri)
10 Jan 2024 06:14PM(Updated: 10 Jan 2024 08:04PM)
SINGAPORE: Locals and businesses in Malaysia’s Penang state are raising concerns over a four-day water supply shutdown from Wednesday (Jan 10) for maintenance, in what its embattled Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow calls “the biggest challenge” of his stint so far.
The repair operation of the state’s water supply system, which will affect some 590,000 water consumers or over 80 per cent of Penang’s population - will make way for the replacement of two faulty 1,200-millimeter valves at the Sungai Dua Water Treatment Plant (WTP) in Butterworth
“This is a major maintenance operation which needs to be carried out. Some of these parts have not been replaced for 50 years and need immediate replacement, said State Infrastructure Committee chairman Zairil Khir Johari on Dec 8, according to the New Straits Times.
"They were supposed to have been replaced one to two years back but we could not find the right time to do so.”
He added that the repairs will take a day, after which the water supply will gradually be restored and returned to normal after 48 to 96 hours.
Penangites who spoke to CNA said that they will be making changes to their daily routine to reduce water usage during this period, adding that the one-month notice provided by the government was helpful in the preparation plans.
Economist Dr Lean Hooi Hooi from Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM) told CNA that while the current situation may be an inconvenience to many, the high repair costs and long-term water loss would be a worse consequence if the faulty pipes were left unrepaired.
“That’s why in general, most people still support this water shutdown,” she said.
“(There is a) hope that this sacrifice for a few days (without water) will improve the water supply infrastructure so that in 50 years, there won't be any major water interruptions anymore.”
Maintenance workers carrying out repairs at the Sungai Dua Water Treatment Plant on Jan 10, 2024. (Photo: Facebook/PBAPP Penang)A maintenance worker repairs a pipe at the Sungai Dua Water Treatment Plant. (Photo: Facebook/PBAPP Penang)
A maintenance worker repairs a pipe at the Sungai Dua Water Treatment Plant. (Photo: Facebook/PBAPP Penang)
EFFORTS TO STORE AND SAVE WATER
In the days leading up to the water shutdown, Penangites shared images of water-filled containers on social media.
“As a resident affected by this water disruption, I have … (stored) as much water as I can within the limited space of my single-storey terrace house,” said a netizen when asked by CNA on the measures that they are taking to ensure a sufficient supply of water.
Meanwhile, Mr Joel, who lives in George Town, told CNA that he has taken to storing tap water and stocking up on drinking water.
“We will (also) be eating out more at eateries which are open … and (will) pile up our dirty laundries for later,” said the 50-year-old teacher.
A representative from local cafe Halzan noted that many affected people will likely choose to dine out to conserve water.
“We see this as a business opportunity as a lot of households might choose to dine in or take away food, rather than cook at home,” they said.
The cafe operates under a hotel and the representative estimates the hotel’s water storage can sustain the cafe’s business operations for up to two days.
“We have also set aside some water for personal use and (hope that it will be) sufficient to help us get through this period,” they added. “Worse comes to worst, we will serve (our food and drinks) using paper plates and paper cups to reduce the water consumption.”
Some businesses and schools have also instructed their workers and students not to come in during the water shutdown.
Ms Angela - a 37-year-old marketing executive who resides in Penang - told CNA that while her housing estate will not be affected by the water shutdown, her and her husband’s workplaces, as well as their children’s schools, are in the affected areas.
“We have been asked to work and study from home but I am glad that this decision was made as I would prefer the kids to be home … as (our home) isn’t affected by the water shutdown,” she said.
PRESSURE ON PIPES AND PENANG’S CHIEF MINISTER
The chief minister had previously mentioned that the shutdown could be considered a state “emergency situation.” However, he stated that as the pipes were at constant risk of rupture due to high water pressure he wasn’t prepared to avoid action.
“I could have closed my eyes and left it to a future candidate for chief minister to resolve the problem,” Mr Chow said to Free Malaysia Today. “But as leader of the state government and chairman of the Penang Water Supply Company (PBAPP), it is necessary for me to do this to prevent more severe losses for the people.”
The operation will likely further increase pressure on Mr Chow in his tenure as chief minister, which came under scrutiny in October last year following a public feud between him and his predecessor Mr Lim Guan Eng.
Earlier this month, Mr Lim criticised PBAPP’s chief executive officer K Pathmanathan for placing the onus on residents to store water. A leaked video clip showed Mr Lim calling for more public water tankers to be placed in areas most severely affected by the shutdown.
Mr Chow is a member of the Democratic Action Party (DAP), which Mr Lim is the chairman of. DAP, a Chinese-dominated party, is one of the component parties under the Pakatan Harapan coalition (PH).
Dr Oh Ei Sun, a senior fellow with the Singapore Institute of International Affairs, told CNA that Mr Chow’s position as chief minister may be “further weakened by some in (his party) who are keen to replace him, using the water shortage issue as a stick”.
ONE MONTH WARNING GIVES TIME TO PREPARE
Several Penang locals said they appreciated the one-month notice given by the state government on the water shutdown.
Ms Angela said that “it was reassuring that (the water supply company) managed to inform the public ahead of time regarding this so the public can make any necessary arrangements”.
She added that she is confident that PBAPP can manage the situation and resolve it within the predicted time frame.
“At least, this (time around), we all are given enough notice and we can plan and get ready for (the water shutdown),” said another netizen in response to a CNA query.
According to local media, a sudden water supply disruption occurred for four days last month in Penang after a major pipe burst under the Perai riverbed. The disruption affected around 200, 000 consumers in the island’s southwest district and Seberang Perai in one day, according to the Malay Mail.
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