KEDAH Menteri Besar Muhammad Sanusi Md Nor’s real intention in picking a fight with Penang over raw water charges is so extensive logging can continue in his state, said Penang Deputy Chief Minister II P. Ramasamy.

According to Ramasamy Sanusi’s threats of blocking water supply, going to court and lately threats of muddy water flow to Penang were just attempts to divert attention from the real issue, which was logging.

“If extensive logging is permitted – it is not that there is no logging at the present – a lot of money can be made,” Ramasamy said.

“Perhaps when Sanusi was talking about the possibility of Penang drawing upon muddy water, he was indeed alluding to a future scenario of the river water being muddied by extensive and irresponsible logging.

“Ultimately, the blame will be cast on Penang for refusing to pay the water charges, forcing Kedah to go for other options such as logging to keep it financially afloat,” said Ramasamy in a statement today.

The two politicians have been in an ongoing war of words in recent months over a number of issues, including the use of water from Sg Muda as well as Hindu temple demolitions in PAS-controlled Kedah.

Ramasamy’s rebuke comes after Sanusi warned that Kedah was planning to embark on a number of projects that might consume a lot of water, following which the flow of clean water in Sg Muda might be affected.

He had said that if that was the case, then Penang might have no choice but to put up with muddy or murky water.

However, he added that if Penang made a contribution to Kedah for water consumption, then the flow of clean water in the river might not be affected.

Ramasamy said today that Sanusi’s preoccupation or obsession of Penang not paying the water bill was just an excuse to justify his real interest in logging in the Muda Region—the sprawling water catchment area.

He added that even though the federal government wrote off nearly RM700 million of Kedah water debts and allowed an extended payment to the balance debts of more RM1 billion, Sanusi was not very enthusiastic.

“For him it is very simple, this federal generosity might not directly translate into increasing the financial capacity of the Kedah state.

“In short, under the present PAS administration, the interest is more on the flow of direct cash.

“Sanusi’s argument to the federal government is: since Penang is stubborn in not paying for the raw water intake, then Kedah should be permitted extensive logging to make up for the loss of income from Penang,” said Ramasamy. – March 19, 2021.