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JERLUN: Kedah will take the raw water issue to court if negotiations come to a standstill, said Menteri Besar Muhammad Sanusi Nor.
“We will negotiate with Penang now, as we are together in Malaysia.
“But, if the issue comes to a standstill, it could be taken to court and this will be the final measure of the state government,” he said when meeting with reporters after opening the opening ceremony of the Jerlun PAS Complex here today.
He was asked if the state government would take the matter to court for settlement if Penang refused to pay the Kedah government.
Yesterday, Sanusi was reported to have said that Kedah was still open to negotiations with Penang on payment for raw water before seeking federal government intervention.
Prior to this, Kedah wanted to claim RM50 million from Penang Water Supply Corporation as payment for the raw water drawn from Sungai Muda since 2010, but Penang ignored him.
Earlier today, Penang Senior Deputy Minister P Ramasamy said the state was ready to speak but would not negotiate the cost as Kedah requested.
“I don’t understand why Sanusi is so harsh on Penang. Perhaps it is because we are on the other side of the political divide. We are open to discussions, but the negotiations are closed, ”he said.
Ramasamy emphasized that it was not that Penang did not want to pay, but should not pay when water was drawn from its side of the river.
He said he was not sure why Kedah was delaying participation in water supply restructuring initiatives with the federal government.
“If this is done, Kedah will get a good deal. There is no point blaming the Penang government all the time. We are not stealing water from Kedah, we are just taking water, to reiterate, from our side of Sungai Muda. “
