Outcome of Selangor water tariff review in November

KUALA LUMPUR: The outcome of the water tariff review in Selangor will be announced in November this year, said Menteri Besar Amirudin Shari.

The decision to review the water tariff in Selangor is to enable the state government to provide subsidy to the targeted Bottom 40 per cent household income group (B40).

He said the government’s expenditure for water subsidy had expanded significantly since the free-water programme was introduced in 2008, due to the increase in the number of premises in the state.

“When we started, the subsidy ( was just) RM70 million in 2008, but because the number of premises has increased in Selangor, now the number reaches RM200 million a year.

“We should have a long-term (programme), at the same time our focus is to upgrade the B40 group,” he told reporters on the sidelines of the 2nd Selangor International Business Summit 2018 yesterday.

Amirudin said the result of the water tariff review would be tabled during the state’s 2019 Budget in November this year.

“If not ( announced) this November, I will announce it next year, but I believe we need time as the government needs to examine all data and requirements.

“Free water is one of our pillar programmes, that is why it is not easy to remove or change it,” he explained.

He assured that the government would review the tariff thoroughly and look into how to manage it whilst making sure the implementation would really be beneficial especially to the targeted group. — Bernama