Finalising water industry revamp a ‘top priority’

Azmin Ali to seek govt help now that they’re ‘friends’

SHAH ALAM: Settling the state’s water industry restructuring exercise will be Selangor Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Azmin Ali’s main priority. He said this was given now that the Federal Government was a “friend” of the Selangor state government.

“We will be seeking the Federal Government’s approval to finalise the water industry restructuring exercise,” said Azmin.

Currently, the state government has bought over the water assets of three of its four water concessionaires.

However, the state has yet to come to an agreement with Syarikat Pengeluar Air Selangor Sdn Bhd (Splash).

Earlier, Azmin, who was sworn in as Mentri Besar for the second term last Friday, said the names of the new exco line-up were first presented to Selangor Ruler Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah for approval.

Saying that 70% of the line-up were new faces, Azmin added: “It is a common practice where a reshuffle is carried out.”

Only three of the exco members have been retained – Datuk Teng Chang Khim (Investment, Industry and Commerce and Small and Medium Enterprises), Amirudin Shari (Youth Development, Sports, Cultural and Entrepreneurship Development as well as Rural and Traditional Village Development) and V. Ganabathirau (Socio-Economic Development and Compassionate Government).

Among the new faces are Izham Hashim ( Public Amenities, Modernisation of Agriculture and Agro-based Industry), Dr Siti Mariah Mahmud (Health, Welfare, Women Empowerment and Family) and Hee Loy Sian (Environment, Green Technology and Consumer Affairs).

Azmin said the candidates for the state Speaker and Deputy Speaker had also already been selected but declined to disclose who they were.

However, Pakatan insiders are saying that DAP’s Sekinchan assemblyman Ng Suee Lim will probably be made Speaker and PKR’s Paya Jaras assemblyman Mohd Khairuddin Othman his deputy.

Asked if there would be a by-election to allow PKR leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim to gain entry into the Cabinet, Azmin said the Pakatan government would make federal administration its first priority.

“We will give our utmost support to Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad and Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail to lead the country and the Federal Government.

It is a common practice where a reshuffle is carried out. Datuk Seri Azmin Ali