by HAJAR UMIRA MD ZAKI / pic TMR FILE

OPPOSITION suggested RM3 billion to RM4 billion funds yearly from the federal government to state water operators to change the old and expired water pipers and tanks.

Kubang Kerian MP, Datuk Seri Tuan Ibrahim Tuan Man (picture) during the debate of 12th Malaysian Plan (12MP) at Dewan Rakyat, he asserted that the water supply issue is a serious situation involving all states.

Tuan Ibrahim – the PAS deputy president also expressed that water is no longer a basic necessity  but it is now a matter of national security.

“Hence, we are currently facing a climate crisis in which the water supply will become a severe problem in the future.

“We have to make sure the government prepares two things. Firstly, a total of RM3 billion to RM4 billion per year to all state water operators for the process of changing old water pipes that have expired for more than 40 years and changing the ones that have tanks for them.

“And I suggest that all the non-revenue water (NRW) processes in the states be taken over by the federal government to solve the water supply problem in all the states,” he said.

Highlighting on the issues of the dams in the country, the Kubang Kerian member of parliament also suggested that it is now the time to create the dam safety department as there were no single departments that took care of the dam.

“I think it’s time to create our dam safety department. Our dams are critical, some of our dams are over 100 years old. Imagine if anything happens to our dams, the risk of death is so dire that we cannot imagine,” he said.