Selangor Sultan: Resolve water talks soon

SHAH ALAM: The Sultan of Selangor today urged all quarters not to politicise the water restructuring deal between the state and federal governments.
Saying that it is imperative that the issue be resolved quickly so that clean water supply in the state is not jeopardised, he said the matter has to be addressed properly to fulfil the needs of both the public and the state's development.
The ruler expressed hope that the water restructuring deal can be settled as soon as possible, based on the spirit and terms of the master agreement signed on Sept 12, 2014.
Stressing that the sovereignty of Selangor and the interests of the people must be always defended, the ruler also urged the state government to take preparatory measures to ensure that there is adequate treated water supply to meet both domestic and industrial needs as water is an essential part of daily life.
"I am confident that this matter can be addressed fairly through discussions to ensure a treated water supply that is more efficient and people-friendly," Sultan Sharafuddin said when opening the third sitting of the 13th State Legislative Assembly today.
Meanwhile, the ruler praised the state government for taking the initiative to come up with a Public Transport Master Plan in line with the rapid development and population growth in the state.
"This initiative will provide alternative modes of transportation that are cheaper, more efficient and safer, while also reducing use of private transportation and lessen carbon emission," the sultan said.
With the Master Plan, the sultan hopes the Selangor Structure Plan 2035 target of a public transport to private transport usage ratio of 60:40 can be achieved.
He noted that Selangor's population will grow to nine million by 2035, with people from other states immigrating to the state to share its wealth as Selangor remains Malaysia's richest state, with RM3.4 billion in reserves, contributing 23.5% of the nation's gross domestic product (GDP), and with an average household income 40% higher than the national average.
As the migration of more people into the state makes the need for affordable housing more dire than ever, he noted that the state government is building 15,000 affordable housing units within three years to meet the demand.
The state government had launched affordable housing projects involving private companies such as Sime Darby Properties, IJM Land and WCT Holdings, involving 5,774 units, and had further approved nine "Rumah Selangorku" projects with a total of 11,833 units.
The sultan, however, urged the state's various agencies to double their efforts to provide affordable housing and meet the demand for almost 40,000 units.
In an immediate response, Mentri Besar Mohamed Azmin Ali said his administration is committed to resolving the water deadlock as long as the terms of the master agreement are adhered to.
Azmin said he will contact Energy, Green Technology and Water Minister Datuk Seri Maximus Ongkili through his offices as soon as the minister is back from Sabah.