PAS has broken its promise to provide clean water to Kelantanese by next year, said the state opposition.

Amanah youth chief Hasmi Hassan told The Malaysian Insight that the PAS-led state government has pushed back its deadline to clean up the water supply by 10 years.

He said residents are being fooled as the PAS manifesto ahead of the 14th general election promised to increase clean water supply in the state by 2021.

“But now, the people of Kelantan will only be able to get clean water by 2030, which is another 10 years. Now we see the truth of their words.”

There have also been complaints that Air Kelantan Sdn Bhd (AKSB) raised rates during the movement-control order (MCO) period, he said.

AKSB recently said it aims to increase clean water production in the state to 1,100 million litres by 2030, a project estimated to cost RM2.3 billion.

Its statement, issued by manager Azuhan Mohamed, was published in PAS mouthpiece Harakah.

Azuhan said the proposed project also seeks to replace old pipes and build a new water treatment plant to increase the current capacity of 500 million litres per day.

AKSB, a unit under Perbadanan Menteri Besar Kelantan, is tasked with processing, treating and supplying water to PAS-led states.

The Islamist party, in its 2018 election manifesto, promised to increase clean water supply to 90% of Kelantanese by next year and up the pipeline network by 2,900km.

Its failure to provide clean water to Kelantan folk has often been the target of derision by state Barisan Nasional leaders, who said the issue can be resolved in just three years. This was when both parties were enemies trying to wrest control of the state.

Umno and PAS have since signed the Muafakat Nasional pact, and are part of the Perikatan Nasional government.

Hasmi questioned PAS’ reasoning for why it will take another 10 years to resolve Kelantan’s decades-long water woes.

“PAS has received federal government assistance many times, but it has failed to solve water supply problems.”

He also criticised the fact that the issue is persisting despite the Environment and Water Ministry now being led by PAS deputy president Tuan Ibrahim Tuan Man.

Tuan Ibrahim’s predecessor, PKR’s Xavier Jayakumar, previously said Kelantan is the largest user of groundwater, which supplies 80% of the state’s households and industrial consumption.

The Association of Water and Energy Research Malaysia said the water shortage in Kelantan cannot be resolved if the state government continues to rely on groundwater supply.

President S. Piarapakaran said a solution is to build two dams, which can mitigate the impact of floods, and at the same time, be a water source.

“Malaysia is not suitable for large-scale groundwater extraction projects, especially given the flood-prone situation, precipitation and geographic irregularities from the extensive logging in the state.

“In addition, the continued use of groundwater may cause an influx of seawater, which could adversely affect coastal agricultural areas.”

Piarapakaran said Kelantan residents do not have to wait 10 years for the benefits of the dam projects.

“It can take just five years if the construction is executed properly. Anything beyond five years would mean that they did not focus correctly on the execution.”

AKSB in January said half of its supply comes from groundwater, and the 36 treatment plants in the state are not entirely dependent on river supply.

It added that reliance on dams could be problematic should there be a drought, and that the state capital of Kota Baru is entirely dependent on groundwater supply. – June 20, 2020.