PANDAN JAYA, 22 JAN: During the water disruptions in Klang Valley, a senior citizen, Muhamad Din was forced to compete with other residents at his apartment to get a pail of water from the Selangor Water Supply Company (Syabas – Syarikat Bekalan Air Selangor) tankers.
Despite living at the ground floor of Block M2 Pangsapuri Pandan Jaya (apartments), the strength of this man in his 70s was not enough for him to queue in wait, and travel back and forth from the tanker.
Annoyed with the crisis, he wrote a letter to Prime Minister Datu Seri Najib Razak and Chief Minister Tan Sri Abdul Khalid Ibrahim for follow up action.
Muhamad had to take care of his sick wife and a child with disabilities (PWD).
“It was very difficult for me when there was no water. My wife at home was sick at that time. Do not make water issues a play thing.
“There were tankers but I could not get it (water). I too have no energy to haul. Fortunately the public gave me space to get water first,” he said with a wistful tone to TV Selangor and the Cempaka constituency officers who met him today.
Occupants from the said flats were among the half a million residents from Ampang, Cheras and Gombak who were without water supply from 29 December till 15 January.
This was due to the failure of pumps at the Wangsa Maju pump house which is managed by Syabas.
Investigations of the Selangor Water Monitoring Committee found that the pump failure was due to the failure of Syabas in maintaining them properly.
Muhamad hopes that water problems will not be capitalised for the political game of stakeholders because it is a daily need for the people.
“I hope it (the water disruption) does not happen again.”
He explained that he had written the letter personally without involving other parties.
What was more distressing was that he had to take care of his beloved wife who is dependent on a respiratory machine and is now at the Ampang Hospital.
He is supporting his wife and child with the assistance of his pension as a former military personnel amounting to RM1,000 a month.