Penang CM takes SPAN chairman to task

GEORGE TOWN: The Penang government has lost confidence in the leadership of Datuk Liang Teck Meng as National Water Services Commission (SPAN) chairman.
Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng alleged Liang was using his position in the statutory body of the federal government to attack his government.
He said the loss in confidence comes after Liang had told Lim to give SPAN the permission to reveal the contents of a Dec 23, 2016, Penang Water Supply Corporation (PBAPP) letter seeking for an increase in water tariffs.
He asked why Liang did not disclose that PBAPP had withdrawn the request in a letter on Feb 21.
Lim said his administration had told the state-owned water operator to withdraw the request as the state will try to get loans for PBAPP and to use the water conservation surcharge (WCS) as a measure to reduce water consumption.
"That is why PBAPP withdrew the application on the request of the state government, for the time being we do not want to increase water tariffs," he said in a press conference today.
Lim said the SPAN chairman was supposed to keep information on such matters confidential and referred to Section 41 of the SPAN Act 2006 where members of the commission are under an obligation of secrecy.
He said the Act provided a punishment of a maximum three years prison sentence or a maximum RM100,000 fine for those found guilty of the offence.
"The job of SPAN is to monitor water operators, true, but it is not your job to reveal information related to water operators," he added.
In response, Liang told Lim to stop diverting or hiding behind PBAPP and to take up his challenge and to disclose the December letter in the name of transparency.
"Water operators should not be in the habit of putting in requests and then pulling out requests later on, which they admitted was at the request of the state government, probably due to political reasons," he said in a statement.
Earlier, Lim handed over a RM200,000 contribution to the Arulmigu Balathandayuthapani Temple, popularly known as the Hilltop Temple.
On hand to receive the allocation was Hilltop Temple chairman Datuk R. Subramaniam and his vice chair R. Letchumanan.