Najib claims Selangor govt will buy out Splash for RM2.7bil

KLANG: The stakes are high in Sungai Kandis as more allegations are levelled at the government by former premier Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak in a bid to turn the tide of battle into the opposition’s favour.

With just 24 hours to polling, Najib dropped yet another bombshell, alleging that the Selangor government would purchase Syarikat Pengeluar Air Selangor Holdings (Splash) for RM2.7bil.

According to him, a certain “Tan Sri”, who owns a 30% stake in Splash would gain from the alleged purchase.

He also claimed that the “Tan Sri” is a crony of a high-ranking Pakatan Harapan leader and a co-founder of a political party.

“Prices of water will go up for sure in Selangor. This is not the way,” he told the crowd during a Barisan Nasional ceramah ahead of the by-election.

He drew a comparison to Tan Sri Khalid Ibrahim, saying under the former mentri besar’s administration, the purchase would only cost RM250mil.

“The state government is going to pay RM2.7bil. The people of Selangor have been taken for a ride. That is why we need to voice out in the state assembly that such an agreement should not take place,” he said.

On July 27, Singapore’s Straits Times reported that Putrajaya is set to finance RM1.9bil for Splash, while the state government will pay Splash between RM600mil and RM800mil.

But Water, Land and Natural Resources Minister Dr Xavier Jayakumar brushed aside the report, saying that the takeover of Splash has yet to be finalised.

Najib also took a dig at Pakatan, crying foul over ongoing graft probes against him, following Barisan’s shocking defeat in the May 9 polls.

“I have taken many bullets; my wife, too. But that’s the price to pay for being a leader.

“This is politics. If they can ruin my image. Why not?” he said.