GEORGE TOWN: Penang’s MCA has called on the state government to take over the Penang Water Supply Corporation (PBAPP) and select professionals to deal with Penang’s water problem.
Tan Eng Hin, the chief of the state MCA’s publicity department, stated that the Penang government should take over control and monitor all maintenance work until the PBAPP restructure is complete.
He stated that while they (the Penang MCA) appreciate that maintenance work is unavoidable from time to time, the state government must ensure that it has thorough understanding before implementing it.
“I’d want to remind Chow Kon Yeow that as Chief Minister, the people’s interests must always come first.
“There are concerns that a similar water disruption, which occurred last month (December 20), could occur again.
“It was an unscheduled water disruption, and while water was supposed to be restored in a day, it took longer,” he stated during a news conference at the Wisma MCA headquarters on Transfer Road on Monday (January 8).
The projected water outage from January 10 to 14 will affect nearly 600,000 customers.
The supply disruption is intended to enable for valve replacement at the Sungai Dua water treatment plant, as well as repair work at various places along the main pipeline.
Chow had stated that the effort to replace the two major pipes was difficult and hoped that the public would recognise the long-term need of doing so.
Tan stated that PBAPP should only work after they have a clear understanding of the scenario.
“Even if PBAPP is taking steps to mobilise water trucks to supply water to people in need, will this be sufficient to meet their basic daily needs based on real usage data?
“The Penang MCA believes that the state government’s decision to compel individuals to save water for their own consumption for an indeterminate amount of time is inappropriate.
“The state government, not the people, should take full responsibility for all the negative consequences caused by this disruption,” he added.
Tan then questioned the expense of the repairs.
“Did this valve replacement project go through the typical tendering process, and what are the costs?
“We call on the state government to present the facts,” he added in a statement.
Meanwhile, Penang Caring Dialysis Society, based on the ground floor of Wisma MCA, would employ single-use dialysers for its 13 patients.
Its honorary secretary, Lim Kim Chuan, stated that each patient requires dialysis three times a week.
“While the single-use one will be more expensive for us, we do not want to take the risk because the reusable one requires a significant amount of water to clean before being reused.
“Even during dialysis, each session (for one patient) uses 300 litres of water and lasts four hours.
“We intend to start our session as early as 3 a.m. on January 10th, before the water cut begins at 6 a.m.”
“We normally have two shifts every day and can handle. While we were assured that water would be sent to us, I have heard that this has not been finalised,” he stated.
Lim stated that they had two water tanks that can hold 2,750 litres of water each.
“We have always had these tanks,” he remarked.
