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PETALING JAYA: The Penang government says it will not succumb to threats to block Sungai Muda or Kedah legal action in the ongoing water dispute involving two neighboring states.
Penang’s Senior Vice Minister II P Ramasamy said they had nothing to worry about because the law was on their side.
“If the matter goes to court, we will be happy to fight to the end because we have good reasons why Penang does not have to pay for water being drawn from our side of the river.
“The two bilateral agreements of the 1980s, backed by the Federal Constitution, will help us not to pay Kedah,” he said today in a statement.
Yesterday, Kedah Menteri Besar Muhammad Sanusi Md Nor fired the last salvo, saying Kedah might have to take Penang to court if it refused to pay for raw river water, which originates from the state.
At first, he had said that he would have the Sungai Muda villagers set up sandbags to block the water supply to Penang if the state refused to pay.
A few days later, he urged the federal government to facilitate negotiations with Penang for the payment of raw water.
Ramasamy felt that Sanusi’s recent actions seemed to indicate that he was in a great hurry to punish Penang one way or another, adding that the PAS leader might have an ax to deal with the DAP-led government in Penang.
“As I said before, we have no problem discussing matters of common concern, especially in the water, but it cannot be at gunpoint or under threat.
“I want to reiterate that we support Kedah to receive RM100 million from the federal government to protect the water catchment areas in Ulu Muda and to irrigate the rice fields,” he said.
Perlis and Perak also use the water from Ulu Muda.
Ramasamy advised Kedah to consider the federal government’s restructuring initiatives to stagger his debt payments, if that were the problem.
He said Kedah depended on the federal government even to pay the salaries of its officials.
“Since PAS is a component of the Perikatan Nasional government, Kedah could even cancel its debts, as in the case of Pahang,” he added.
Ramasamy said the National Water Council, under the chairmanship of Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin, was the best place to settle the Kedah-Penang water dispute.
“Sanusi, instead of raising her voice and crying that Penang does not pay for raw water, she should refer the matter to the council.”
