SELANGOR lawmakers have called for stern action to be taken against Syarikat Pengeluaran Air Sungai Selangor Sdn Bhd (SPLASH) for its incompetence in dealing with the recent water disruption in the state.

Residents in several areas in Selangor and Kuala Lumpur are facing water disruptions up to tomorrow due to emergency repair works at the Sungai Selangor Phase 3 (SSP3) water plant.

The disruption is due to a burst pipe, which left five people injured at the plant three days ago.

“SPLASH has failed to provide regular updates on the status of repair works resulting in more disruption to the daily routine of households and operations of businesses,” Selangor speaker Hannah Yeoh said in a statement.

“SPLASH being the concessionaire and supplier of treated water to Syabas (Syarikat Bekalan Air Selangor) should have been more equipped to handle such incidents.”

Yeoh, who is also the Subang Jaya state assemblyman, said the state government had to assist SPLASH in expediting the repair works, adding that water supply would likely have continued until next week if not for the intervention.

Syabas, the operator of the plant, buys treated water from SPLASH under a 30-year concession awarded by the previous Barisan Nasional state government of Selangor in January 2000.

“This (water disruption) has resulted in immense suffering to more than 500,000 households in Selangor for an insufferable four days and still counting,” said Yeoh.

“The Selangor Menteri Besar (Azmin Ali) had to then call for an urgent intervention by Syabas and Air Selangor to help SPLASH expedite repair works at the plant,” she said.

Yeoh called for a thorough investigation into the failure of SPLASH to respond to the situation professionally.

“The degree of negligence (if any) and incompetence in the manner which the upgrading and the repair exercise that was carried out has to be thoroughly investigated.

“The management of SPLASH must take responsibility for their failure to prepare for all contingencies including the injury caused to the personnel at site,” she said.

Klang MP Charles Santiago said he is considering taking legal action against SPLASH to seek compensation for residents in affected areas.

“As one of my constituents said, people don’t remember what the state has done in the last five years but they will certainly remember the last seven days,” he told The Malaysian Insight.

“My constituents are pushing me to take action against the concessionaire. I am seeking legal advice and will wait for the state government’s action.

“This mess is happening just before a critical general election and does not favour us (Pakatan Harapan),” said Santiago.

Bukit Lanjan assemblyman Elizabeth Wong said that action should be taken against SPLASH if there is proof of negligence as opposed to an accident.

“What happened on March 6 was an accident which saw five workers injured and serious damage to the facilities.

“I don’t like blaming (SPLASH) during a critical situation.

“But the water treatment plant is still under SPLASH and it is also the remaining concessionaire which has not been acquired by PAAB to complete the water restructuring,” she said.

Restructuring of water assets

Negotiations for the restructuring of water assets in Selangor started in 2008, and involves the transferring or selling of water assets owned by the state or its related entities to the federal government.

Santiago claims the federal government is intentionally holding up the Selangor water restructuring process, as evident by the cabinet’s decision to push back the restructuring from May to October 2017, and now to 2018.

“This process has been partially completed in Selangor. An independent valuation for the remaining water assets was submitted by the Selangor government to federal authorities and tabled before cabinet in May 2017.

“The federal government has also done its own valuation on the water assets, yet they insist on asking the state to name the price.

“This is nonsensical since the federal government will be the buyer. The ball is very clearly in the federal government’s court,” he said. – March 10, 2018.