Johor allocates almost RM80m in 2017 state budget to tackle water problem

ISKANDAR PUTERI: The Johor government allocates close to RM80 million in the state's 2017 Budget to implement 14 initiatives to solve the prolonged water supply issue.
Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Mohamed Khaled Nordin said these initiatives included maintenance of the Layang Hulu Dam and Layang Hilir Dam water catchment areas in Pasir Gudang involving an allocation of RM900,000, installing a water quality monitoring system at Sungai Johor (RM1 million) and implementing a management plan for the Sungai Gembut water catchment area in Kota Tinggi (RM600,000).
"The project to transfer raw water from Sungai Lenggor to Conggok Dam in Mersing will also be carried out with an allocation of RM65 million".
He said the state government also planned to build two tube wells in Kota Tinggi (RM1 million allocation) and conduct a feasibility study on underground water resource with the cooperation of Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (RM1 million).
All these, he said, would be supported by several other initiatives to increase the state government's knowledge and expertise in managing water.
"The other initiatives include organising the Johor Water Forum 2017 and empowering it into the formation of a non-governmental organisation to act as adviser to the Johor State Water Resource Council.
"We will also implement some projects such as channelling of the Iskandar Malaysia raw water worth RM560 million through the federal government allocation.
"For a start, a sum of RM5 million will be allocated next year," he said when tabling the Johor 2017 Budget at the state assembly sitting, here, today.
To improve water resource management, he said the state government would boost enforcement of the jetty licence and sea reclamation.
This, Mohamed Khaled said, would be done by the Johor Regulatory Body (BAKAJ), employing various methods including stricter enforcement of the law against water pollution, such as through the provisions in the Water Enactment 1921 (amended 2014). — Bernama