The Negri Sembilan menteri besar has extended an open welcome to Nestle Malaysia and other factories in Klang Valley suffering heightened costs due to rationing to relocate to Negri Sembilan

The Negri Sembilan menteri besar has extended an open welcome to Nestle Malaysia and other factories in Klang Valley suffering heightened costs due to rationing to relocate to Negri Sembilan 

The Selangor Pakatan government’s boast of being the state which draws the highest amount of investments should be changed to the state with the largest outflow of investments.

This is in view of the prolonged water rationing which not only has turned the daily lives of residents topsy-turvy, but affected the environment where more styrofoam, plastic and paper plates are used, but equally drastic, factories are encountering a sudden rocket launch in operation costs which in turn has long-range spillover effects.

A food and beverage firm operating from Shah Alam had reported that it stood to lose RM15mil a day in costs and sales as production would be stopped if it did not use alternative supply of about 120 tankers costing RM150,000 daily (The Star, April 23, 2014).

The Negri Sembilan menteri besar has extended an open welcome to Nestle Malaysia and other factories in Klang Valley suffering heightened costs due to rationing to relocate to Negri Sembilan (Utusan Malaysia, April 22, 2014).

In view of industrial heavy demand for water, the Selangor MCA publicity bureau has exposed unscrupulous private water tanker contractors in Klang taking advantage of water purchased from Syabas and resold to factories for up to RM1,800 for a 26-tonne lorry when the cost should be around RM500.

Wanita MCA fears that without any solution to the current water crisis, factories may eventually relocate to other states, thereby not only will investments plunge, but severe job cuts criss-crossing various ranks are under way.

It is already a standing joke among affected Klang Valley residents that despite the current torrential downpour uprooting trees in Taman Tun Dr Ismail, bringing traffic to a crawl at major highways between Subang, Sungai Besi, Petaling Jaya and causing knee-deep floods in Section 16 on Monday, April 21, 2014, yet taps continue to run dry.

The Pakatan Selangor state government is urged to repair all those leaky channels and pipes to reduce non-revenue water (NRW) and to not delay any further the takeover of the four water concessionaires to put into effect the memorandum of understanding (MOU) signed with Putrajaya on the construction of the Langat II treatment plant.

Seek alternative sources of water too ie underground water. Educate the public on saving water ie avoid washing cars, house porch/driveway, watering plants and reduce water usage wherever possible.

Storey credit: Malaysiakini