‘AZMIN’S CLAIM ABOUT CIVIL SERVANTS IS FALSE’
Statements on state’s water crisis issued in a professional manner, says ministry sec-gen
THE Energy, Green Technology and Water Ministry has rejected Selangor Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Azmin Ali’s claims that several politicians had instructed civil servants to use Selangor’s water crisis as an issue to attack the state government.
The ministry’s secretary-general, Datuk Seri Dr Zaini Ujang, said his statements on the water crisis were issued in a professional manner and based on facts.
“Civil servants being used (by politicians)? This is a false claim.
“I am a civil servant and I am not under instructions from politicians. I’m also not a politician.
“What I spoke on with regard to the issue is true and the state government has to accept the views put forward by the ministry,” he said after officiating the McDonald’s “Scale for Good” programme in Setia Alam here yesterday.
He was commenting on Azmin’s claim that Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak had used civil servants to make the water crisis as a tool to attack the PKR-led Selangor government.
Azmin was quoted as saying that Zaini, as a civil servant, should not bow to pressure exerted by politicians, and should act professionally and with integrity.
Azmin’s statement came about after Zaini said the former appeared not to understand the concept of Selangor having zero water reserve margin.
Zaini had explained that a water reserve margin was not about whether the state’s dams had water or otherwise, but referred to the rate of water supply, which could be channelled should any areas face disruptions.
He said the Selangor water crisis would worsen if the state government refused to carry out a migration process for its water industry, despite the ministry having reminded the Selangor administration of the importance of the move.
“For example, if a taxi, which usually operates 10 hours a day, is forced to run for 16 hours a day, what happens then?
“What happens if this taxi is used in this manner over the next five years?
“The same applies to water treatment plants that have to operate at higher capacities than they were designed for,” he said.
“They will break down. So, it’s important to upgrade the existing infrastructure.”