Water issue: Azmin's counter claim against Puncak Niaga dismissed (Updated)

SHAH ALAM: The High Court here today dismissed a counter-claim by Selangor Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Mohamed Azmin Ali in an almost RM14 million suit filed by Puncak Niaga Holdings Bhd (Puncak Niaga) over the restructuring of the state's water industry.
Judge Datuk Akhtar Tahir dismissed Mohamed Azmin's counter-claim with costs of RM3,000 after finding there was no cause of action against Puncak Niaga.
The decision was made in chambers in the presence of lawyers S. H. Ng, representing Mohamed Azmin, and Lau Mark Chi Ming, for Puncak Niaga.
Last Feb 22, the court struck out the suit by Puncak Niaga following applications by Mohamed Azmin, former Selangor Mentri Besar Tan Sri Abdul Khalid Ibrahim and the Selangor government.
Akhtar struck out the suit on grounds that the statement of claims by Puncak Niaga was fatal.
Besides applying to strike out the suit, Mohamed Azmin also filed a filed a counter-claim against Puncak Niaga on grounds that the water concessionaire intentionally filed the suit with no valid grounds and had abused the court process.
The mentri besar had sought general damages, costs and other relief which the court deemed fit.
Meanwhile, the Energy, Green Technology and Water Ministry (KeTTHA) advised Selangor residents to conserve their water usage to ensure that the water storage margin in the state would be increased to 5% without added costs.
Insisting that he is being apolitical on the present situation, KeTTHA secretary-general Datuk Seri Dr Zaini Ujang said at present the water storage margin in Selangor is at 0%, which meant that preservation of water supply in the state would be affected should another disruption occur.
"To generate a surplus for the purpose of increase water reserve margin, there are two methods. Firstly by increasing the amount of water production and secondly reduce the rate of consumption.
"Since the first approach which is presently being done with the construction of the Langat 2 Water Treatment Plant (LRA2) which is costly and time-consuming as it is only being completed in 2022, the next best method is simply to reduce daily water consumption," he told reporters yesterday.
In this context, Zaini elaborated that the current use of water in Selangor averages at 234 liters/day per capita which is above the national average pf 209
liters/ day per capita.
"If the people can reduced their average consumption to 205 liters/day per capita, then the water storage margin can be increased to 5% without any addition of water assets."