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Selangor Consumers Finally Get Free Water |
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Posted by admin
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Thursday, 12 June 2008 07:45 |
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SHAH ALAM, June 11 - Selangor consumers will get their 20 cubic metres of free water from this month as the stalemate in the deal has been resolved, said Menteri Besar Tan Sri Abdul Khalid Ibrahim.
He said the free water rebate (equivalent to RM11.40) would be reflected in this month's bill by Syarikat Bekalan Air Selangor Sdn Bhd (Syabas) from June 16.
"Consumers who receive their bills before June 16 will get a rebate for 15 days in this month's bill and for another 15 days in next month's bill, he told reporters after chairing a state executive council meeting here Wednesday.
He said the matter was resolved Wednesday afternoon at a meeting of the three parties involved -- the state government, Kumpulan Darul Ehsan Bhd (KDEB) and Syabas, a KDEB subsidiary.
Syabas had said that Selangor consumers would only be getting the free water after the completion of the restructuring exercise of the state's water industry in September.
Abdul Khalid said the free water concession which could reach RM11 million a month would be paid by KDEB to Syabas.
He said the free water concession and the issuance of new water bill was the first step in the restructuring exercise which would pave the way for changes in terms of allocation of funds and pricing impact as a result of the economies of scale.
On sceptics' remarks over the ability of KDEB taking over Syabas in the restructuring exercise, he said:
"There are always doubts in everything... there is a risk but Selangor has a little bit of experience in restructuring companies. The Menteri Besar would like to say to the analysts it is implementable."
Asked whether the state government would reduce the executive councillors' entertainment allowance in its austerity drive, he said: "We are thinking of bigger things. For the time being, (solving) economic problems arising from the fuel price hike are more crucial.
"As such, Selangor will be forming a task force to study what needs to be done to address the price hike of goods and dwindling income of the people."
Meanwhile, Syabas chief executive officer Datuk Ruslan Hassan said all problems raised by him had been ironed out and KDEB had signed an undertaking to Syabas on behalf of the state government on the free water.
On the quantum to be paid by KDEB to Syabas, he said it would depend on the water meter readings of the 1.1 million consumers.
"They (KDEB) will pay us within 30 days after we send them the bill," he said when met after the meeting.
Syabas earlier wanted to give KDEB a 14-day credit period. - BERNAMA
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