PUTRAJAYA: Dr A Xavier Jayakumar, the new Minister of Water, Land and Natural Resources, today gave the assurance that the longstanding Selangor water supply issue would be settled in one month.
The minister said he had held discussions with the relevant parties, including Selangor Menteri Besar Amirudin Shari, on the matter and that there were not many more points to be finalised.
“There only remain a few points to be agreed upon, but we believe it can be resolved soon. I will seek the Cabinet’s permission to extend the period for another month,” he said at a press conference here.
Xavier, who is the MP for Kuala Langat, clocked in at Wisma Sumber Asli here today. He was sworn in as the minister on Monday.
Ministry secretary-general Datuk Seri Azizan Ahmad and the directors-general of departments and agencies under the newly set up ministry were also present.
The process of restructuring the Selangor water industry has dragged on for a long time following the failure of the state government and the previous Barisan Nasional-led federal government to agree on the value of the offer for acquisition of Syarikat Pengeluar Air Selangor Sdn Bhd (SPLASH).
The state government only settled the acquisition of three other water concessionaires.
Xavier said the deadline for the restructuring of the Selangor water industry was tomorrow, July 4.
Replying to a question, the minister, who has been a Selangor state executive councillor and has held several important positions, including a member of the Selangor Select Committee on Raw Water Resource Management since 2014, said all the relevant parties must have the commitment to resolve the issue immediately.
"Let's not talk about the past, let's go for the future. I think we are ready to solve the problem that has been going on for such a long time. All parties are ready in order to see an end to this, and we are definitely ready to get this done within one month," he said.
Xavier said the assurance to solve the water supply issue within 100 days was contained in the Pakatan Harapan manifesto for the 14th General Election.
On another matter, the PKR vice-president said the moratorium on bauxite mining in Kuantan that was to have ended on June 30 had been extended indefinitely.
Asked about his experience on the first day as a minister, he said in jest: “I am nervous like hell."
He also said that he was enthusiastic about getting to work.—BERNAMA