Perak folks gain from water plan

More assets in the pipeline

IPOH: A total of 294 Rural Water Supply Programme projects totalling Rm68.6mil have been implemented in Perak since 2007, said Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Dr Zambry Abdul Kadir.

He said the projects, undertaken by the Rural and Regional Development Ministry, saw the installation of 314km of water supply lines throughout the state, benefiting 6,780 families.

“During the same period, the Perak Water Board (LAP) has given out Rm2.6mil in water subsidies to the poor who are registered with the Welfare Department, the state religious department and the Orang Asli Development Department.

“A total of 9,383 families are benefiting from this subsidy,” he told reporters after chairing the board’s meeting here yesterday.

Dr Zambry, who is the chairman, said the board recorded Rm275.46mil in water revenue last year, a Rm4.79mil increase from Rm270.67mil in 2010.

The board, he added, had achieved pre-tax profit of Rm104.32mil in 2011 compared with Rm105.58mil in 2010.

Dr Zambry said it was only a matter of time before the state signed an agreement with Pengurusan Aset Air Bhd (PAAB) for the proposed acquisition of the state’s water assets.

He said the state had made known its intention to sign the agreement to the Energy, Green Technology and Water Ministry on Jan 18.

“The ministry is preparing a memorandum on the matter to be tabled to the Cabinet for its approval. We expect to sign the agreement once approved,” he said.

It was earlier reported that the cost of acquiring the water assets in Perak was estimated to be over Rm650mil.

In December, the Mentri Besar had reportedly said that with the settlement of the water asset migration between the LAP and PAAB, the state’s Rm970.59mil water supply debt to the Federal Government would be reduced to Rm78.66mil.