GEORGE TOWN: Penang hopes the Federal Government will expedite the signing of the Perak-Penang Water Project which has been in discussion since 2011.
Penang Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow said the project needs to be implemented because it will benefit not only Penang but also other states in the north of the peninsula as it is also part of the Penang Water Contingency Plan 2030 to increase water supply to 602 million litres per day.
"I believe at this stage there are a lot of technical discussions going on and maybe the parties are not ready to announce when the project will be implemented.
"However, I request that the agreement for the project be speedily signed and implemented this year," he told reporters after opening the 'Pioneer the Possible- Green Production Forum' at the Penang Institute here on Friday (March 8).
Chow said that the state government was still waiting for further developments on the project since Penang is only the recipient.
"The project is not happening in the state of Penang because most of it involves negotiations with the Perak state government and I believe it is being done.
"At Penang level, we will be involved in commercial negotiations such as the tariff price, how much water is required, the duration of the contract and so on," he said.
On Jan 3, Perak Mentri Besar Saarani Mohamad was reported to have said that the Perak-Penang Water Project is not expected to be carried out this year because it needs the allocation of the Natural Resources and Environmental Sustainability Ministry for the construction of a Water Treatment Plant (WTP) in Kerian district, Perak in addition to first completing the process on the supply of treated water between the two states.
Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim during his visit to Penang on Feb 16 said the Federal Government would speed up the Perak-Penang Water project after announcing to develop Kerian Hi-Tech, which will also bring investment and economic development to Seberang Perai Selatan (SPS) including Sungai Acheh.
Meanwhile, on cloud seeding, Chow said the Penang Water Supply Corporation (PBAPP) would continue to monitor the need to implement cloud seeding again since the two processes carried out previously failed to bring rain.
"Cloud seeding is not a guarantee of rain, so we still hope for natural rain. If it is not necessary then (cloud seeding) will not continue," he said.- Bernama
