THERE is no need for Penang to pay Kedah for raw water drawn from Sg Muda as the state has the right to use water on its side of the river, said P. Ramasamy.

The Penang deputy chief minister ll said Penang is entitled to draw upon water from its side, as Kedah can use water from its side.

He added that even if the origin of Sg Muda was in Kedah, the river served as the boundary marker of the two states.

“Under the principle of Riparian rights, the right to use water on its side is something that cannot be denied to Penang.

“Moreover, Penang simply draws upon water from its side of the river without spending on the huge infrastructure costs that were incurred by other states such as Selangor and Malacca,” he said in a statement today.

He also slammed Kedah Menteri Besar Muhammed Sanusi Md Nor for suggesting that the PAS-controlled state can impose payment on Penang for the use of water for Sg Muda.

“He doesn’t realise that Penang is as entitled to the water from Sg Muda as Kedah.

“Thus, if Kedah threatens to choke off water supply to Penang or take the matter to the court, Penang has every right to defend its stand as to why demanding compensation is wrong,” he said.

He also hit out at former prime minister Najib Razak for suggesting that if Selangor and Malacca can pay for water from Pahang and Johor respectively, Penang too should do the same to Kedah.

Ramasamy said there were two reasons as to why Selangor and Malacca have to pay for their water.

“First, for the infrastructure costs incurred in the transportation and treating of the water.

“Second, both the states do not enjoy Riparian rights. In other words, they do not have common rivers with Pahang and Johor.

“Only when these states share common waterways in the form of rivers or others they are entitled to a stake in the water system,” said the DAP leader.

The issue started when the DAP-ruled Penang government told Kedah not to endanger the environment and water source with its plan to mine rare earth elements.

In return, Sanusi said that the state could stop the flow of Sg Muda into Penang, or seek compensation from Penang for the use of raw water from the river. – December 14, 2020.