SHAH ALAM, 9 Apr: The Chief Minister, Tan Sri Abdul Khalid Ibrahim slammed the statement by the State Opposition Leader, Datuk Shamsuddin Lias (BN-Sungai Burong), who blamed the State Government for not allowing the Langat 2 project to be carried out, causing the water rationing.
Abdul Khalid said that the water rationing is not because of the Langat 2 project because it does not help solve the problem much by only being able to provide 1,000 million litres of water per day (MLD).
“I want to remind that the Langat 2 project is huge, but we cannot get much out of it because the implementation expenses are high. We have taken this decision with the Executive Council, so there is no use of quarrelling about it because 1,000 MLD will not solve the problems of the people of Selangor.
“Let is find a solution together, I accept the Langat 2, but you must accept my project, the Hybrid Off River Augmentation System (HORAS). There is no use to argue because it has already been done.
Abdul Khalid said that the HORAS project is faster to complete compared with the Langat 2 project which can only be completed in three years.
“However, the Federal Government cannot give assurance that it can be completed in three years because just constructing the tunnel is time consuming. That is why we are implementing HORAS; an underground lake water project.
“This project will take two and a half years to be agreed upon by all parties, including the National Water Services Commission (SPAN). Just to review it costs RM1.5 million,” he said.
Abdul Khalid said that the dispute on the water rationing should not arise because it has been assessed and determined by the Select Committee which is chaired by the State Government Secretary (SUK), Datuk Khusrin Munawi.
“Every day, Khusrin holds meetings with the Selangor Water Supply Company (SYABAS) and former experts to solve this problem. We want the problem of pollution at some plant areas to be solved and we do not want areas to completely have no water.
“That is why we have rationed water. It is not a matter that we are ignoring, all records are available and we are willing to build a dam so that this will not happen again,” he said.
The HORAS project located in Bestari Jaya is expected to be completed in July 2015 and is capable of supplying 600 to 700 MLD of clean water for the first phase, while for phase two, it is expected to supply 5,000 MLD.