BANDAR BAHARU: Home Minister Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution has urged Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Muhammad Sanusi Md Nor to work together to resolve water supply woes in Kedah instead of worrying about water issues in Nibong Tebal, Penang.
Saifuddin, who co-chairs the Kedah Development Action Council together with Sanusi, said the federal government already has a solution to resolve the water supply issue in Nibong Tebal.
"There are five WTP (water treatment plant) projects in Kedah and we (federal government) will work to complete them (the projects).
"The Lubuk Buntar WTP is an RM60 million project and upon completion it will supply (additional) 32 mld (million litres per day) to Kedah.
"However, the project is behind schedule, and we will get it completed.
"I will work together with the MB and the MB must help us. Let's resolve the water supply woes n Kedah first.
"I think it is wiser that the issue in Nibong Tebal, we leave it to Chow Kon Yeow (Penang chief minister) to manage it," he said after opening the Kulim-Bandar Baharu "Jiwa Komuniti Madani" programme in Bandar Baharu Community Sports Complex here today.
Saifuddin said it makes more sense for Sanusi to focus on resolving water supply issues in Kedah instead of being bothered by issues in the neighbouring state.
"If he wishes to resolve the issue in Sungai Bakap because of low water pressure, I am still getting complaints about water supply disruptions from relatives living in Merbok and Sungai Petani.
"Even in Bandar Baharu we have problems with low water pressure.
"Hence, the federal government came up with a solution by building the WTPs to resolve water supply woes in Kedah."
In fact, Saifuddin said Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim would make an announcement on a water supply project from Sungai Kerian, Perak, to Nibong Tebal today.
Sanusi, who is also Perikatan Nasional election director, recently offered to sell treated water from Kedah to resolve water supply issues in Nibong Tebal.
However, Chow on Monday turned down the offer and instead told Sanusi to "look after his own backyard first" before offering to sell treated water to Penang.