Jaseni (third from left) with (from fifth left) Wong and Pathmanathan at the opening of WaterTech Asia 2025 in George Town. — LIM BENG TATT/The Star
PENANG is implementing its Water Contingency Plan 2030 (WCP 2030), a RM2.1bil infrastructure framework designed to sustain water supply until the Perak raw-water transfer scheme is completed.
State tourism and creative economy committee chairman Wong Hong Wai said Penang was committed to protecting households, supporting visitor demand and ensuring that industries operating there could grow with confidence.
“In a world shaped by rapid urbanisation, climate uncertainty and accelerating industrial demand, a nation’s strength is increasingly measured by its ability to secure and manage water sustainably.
“In Penang, water security is economic security,” he said at the opening of WaterTech Asia 2025 at Penang Waterfront Convention Centre.
Since 2022, Penang Water Supply Corporation (PBAPP) has been working on WCP 2030 to ensure water supply sufficiency in the state until 2030.
Also present at the event were Pengurusan Aset Air Bhd (PAAB) chairman Datuk Seri Jaseni Maidinsa and PBAPP chief executive officer Datuk K. Pathmanathan.
Among its strategies are to increase maximum water treatment capacity by 602 million litres per day (MLD), and tap three new secondary daily raw water resources in Seberang Perai – expanded Mengkuang Dam, Sungai Perai and Sungai Kerian.
Wong said the state government was advancing the long-term water-security initiative in northern Malaysia with an interstate collaboration with Perak government under the Northern Perak Raw Water Supply Scheme.
“This project involves transferring raw water from Sungai Perak for treatment and shared distribution between Penang and Perak.
“Both states are progressing towards the finalisation of a formal agreement.
“Once implementation begins, the project is expected to be operational by 2031, providing a stable medium to long-term raw water reserve to support future demand for both states,” he said.
On WaterTech Asia 2025, Wong said the water-technology landscape was transforming rapidly through artificial intelligence, smart sensor networks, predictive analytics and sustainable water-treatment solutions.
“The participation of exhibiting delegations and industry partners from Canada, China, Indonesia, Qatar as well as Malaysian water authorities from Perlis, Kedah, Perak, Kelantan, Terengganu and federal agencies reflects the scale and significance of this evolving sector,” he said.
“Exhibitions and conferences like WaterTech Asia not only drive knowledge exchange but also generate economic impact, encourage policy engagement, promote industry opportunities and strengthen Penang’s role as a hub for business events.”
The three-day event showcased over 100 exhibitors including those from Indonesia, China, Canada, Germany and South Korea.
