BATU KAWAN: The Penang state government is willing to hold discussions with its Kedah counterparts over a recent demand for payment of RM50 million a year as compensation for drawing water from Sungai Muda.
Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow said the state government does support Kedah’s efforts to secure compensation from the federal government as raw water comes under the purview of the federal government.
“I think the people do not want to see the two states engaged in a verbal war through the media but hope that a discussion is held…so I feel it is better that we discuss the matter,” he said.
He said Penang extracted raw water only from its own side of Sungai Muda, in line with international conventions.
Chow said he had discussed the issue with the Minister of Environment and Water in Putrajaya in October and the minister said that the important agenda at the ministry was to ensure all states had adequate raw water supply.
Last Wednesday, Kedah Menteri Besar Muhammad Sanusi Md Nor was reported to have forwarded several letters of demand to the Penang state government insisting on an annual RM50 million payment for drawing raw water from Sungai Muda.