Johor hoping for a quick OK from S’pore

JOHOR BARU: Johor hopes Singapore will give fast approval to its request to conduct cloud seeding over Sungai Lebam and Layang dams in view of the critical water levels at the two dams.

Yesterday Johor sent a letter to the Department of Civil Aviation (DCA) in Kuala Lumpur. Rural and Regional Development committee chairman Datuk Hasni Mohammad said the DCA would then submit the formal request to its Singaporean counterpart, the Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore (CAAS), on Johor's intention to conduct cloud seeding operations.

“Normally, it takes two weeks for the CAAS to get back to DCA. But in view of the current situation, we hope to start the operation as soon as possible,” said Hasni at a press conference yesterday after attending the Hari Raya open house organised by Johor Petroleum Development Corporation.

He added that the cloud seeding should be conducted within the next 14 days, adding that Johor did not want to miss the window period deemed a good time to conduct the exercise.

He said the water level at the Sungai Lebam dam had dropped to 9.72m (which is the critical level) from 12.7m and Layang dam from 23.50m to 19.43m.