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PETALING JAYA: Penang II Senior Deputy Minister P Ramasamy has challenged the Kedah Menteri Kiss to “lead by example” and block Sungai Muda’s raw water supply.
“I challenge Kedah MB to deny Penang water supply. The threat to cut off Penang’s water supply is serious and seditious.
Imagine if Sanusi succeeds in cutting off the supply. More than a million people would be left without water. It is not a matter of joke, but of life and death, “he said today in a statement.
Last week, Sanusi had demanded that the Penang government pay RM50 million each year to Kedah as compensation for extracting raw water from its side of the border.
More than 80% of Penang’s supply comes from Sungai Muda, but on the Penang side of the river, where it then empties into the sea.
Penang’s Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow rejected this demand saying his government would not pay Kedah for the extraction of water from his side.
Ramasay said this rejection must have agitated Sanusi so much that he threatened to cut off the water supply to Penang.
“He responded by saying that he would have the villagers put sandbags in the Sungai Muda to cut off the water supply to Penang.”
The battle for raw water between the two states was initially triggered by Sansui’s announcement that Kedah would embark on a RM60 billion rare earth elements (REE) mining venture that would also involve water catchment areas.
The Penang government, environmental agencies and civil society urged the federal government to stop the extraction of REE, as it could cause irreparable damage to the environment that could result in floods, landslides and the disappearance of the catchment area of Crucial water at Ulu Muda.
Meanwhile, DAP Secretary General Lim Guan Eng said that recent insensitive and discriminatory statements by Sanusi, using stereotypes, had created widespread anger nationwide.
“Sanusi remains unrepentant and has now unleashed a terrible threat to dam Sungai Muda and redirect its water away from Penang to deny raw water to 1.7 million Penangitas.
“Clearly, these latest incidents have not only portrayed Sanusi as a ‘great bully’, but have also made him appear cruel. No leader has ever threatened to deny his compatriots water, “he said in a statement.
The former Penang chief minister said that the PAS leader would be playing with nature if he followed through on his threat, adding that he would also go against God’s will by wanting to redirect Sungai Muda, which is the natural border between the two states. .
