GEORGE TOWN: Based on the scientific report about the amount of excess freshwater that Sungai Perak is letting out into the sea, Penang Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow has welcomed the Prime Minister’s call for the Perak-Penang water transfer scheme to be reviewed.
Chow said yesterday he hoped the matter will be discussed since the report commissioned by the ministry in charge of natural resources has been completed.
“I wrote to the Minister of Natural Resources, Environment and Climate Change two weeks ago requesting that he facilitate the meeting between Perak and Penang.“I hope we (both states) can sit down and talk, and finally reach an agreement on the Sungai Perak Raw Water Transfer Scheme,” Chow said.
On the details of the report, retired chief executive officer of the Penang Water Supply Corporation (PBAPP) Datuk Seri Jaseni Maidinsa said yesterday that more than 700 million litres of raw freshwater will just flow out of Sungai Perak into the sea daily if Perak continues to refuse to sell water to Penang.
He claimed that the study by scientists and engineers, released last September, showed that despite a slight depletion, Perak had more than enough excess water to sell.
The study, which was commissioned in 2009, involved a team of scientists and engineers calculating the rainfall and flow of water in Sungai Perak, Jaseni said.
“In 2009, the science showed that a billion litres of freshwater was flowing into the sea from Sungai Perak every day. By 2022, there was a reduction to 700 million litres per day, but there is still a significant volume to be sold,” he said.
He said Penang was ready to discuss buying raw water or treated water through a joint venture arrangement with Perak.
Jaseni, who retired as PBAPP CEO in November last year, said he had read the findings on the amount of raw freshwater draining into the sea from Sungai Perak.
“Overall, Malaysia is blessed with plenty of freshwater.
“The only thing that Malaysia needs to sort out is interstate water transfers and distribution. The federal and state governments really need to facilitate this,” Jaseni said.
Penang infrastructure and transport committee chairman Zairil Khir Johari said Penang has always been open to discussing options, whether it was for raw water or to treat it.
“The September 2022 scientific report proves that Perak has more than enough water to transfer to Penang.
“If not, all that water will just drain into the sea,” Zairil added.
