Langat 2 water treatment plant: Putrajaya sets three-month target to resolve issues with Selangor

Energy, Green Technology and Water Minister Datuk Seri Dr Maximus Ongkili said the special Cabinet committee to look into Selangor's water problems will brief the Cabinet on its recommendations soon.

The committee is chaired by Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin.

Ongkili said the committee's recommendations will be in accordance with the Water Services Industry Act 2006 and that Selangor's attempts to take over the state's water assets must be based on the "willing buyer, willing seller" concept.

"I believe that both the state and federal governments can resolve this together, for the good of the rakyat, without having to resort to any legal action.

"Our recommendation is that Langat 2 must go on but we must reach a consensus on the restructuring exercise based on negotiation and compromise.

"I cannot disclose the specifics but (we will use) these as our guide," Ongkili said when asked about the Langat 2 project in a press conference here Tuesday.

Depleting treated water reserves in Selangor have pushed the federal government to call for the construction of the water treatment plant, which has been reported to be able to treat some 1.89 billion litres of raw water.

The supply of water is expected to cater to demands in Selangor, Kuala Lumpur and Putrajaya until 2025.

Selangor Mentri Besar Tan Sri Khalid Ibrahim recently admitted the need for the plant but stressed that the takeover should be within the state government's expectations.

Khalid has proposed that all water assets in the state, including the Langat 2 water treatment plant, come under state investment arm Kumpulan Darul Ehsan Bhd (KDEB).

KDEB has made an offer to buy all the existing water assets in the state but Puncak Niaga Holdings Bhd has yet to accept the offer.

Ongkili said both consumers and investors have been impacted by the delay in the construction of Langat 2.

"Overall, 710 (investment) projects have been postponed based on the advice of SPAN (the National Water Services Commission).

"We didn't want investors to start on a project but not continue because we could not guarantee them water.

"It is not an emergency but it (the depleting water reserves) is at a worrying stage," Ongkili said.