Thanusya Shanmuganathan, The Malaysian Insider

Selangor plans to take back its 33 water treatment plants from Syarikat Bekalan Air Selangor (Syabas) to improve supply to residents in the state, Kuala Lumpur and Putrajaya.

Selangor state executive councillor Dr Xavier Jeyakumar said visits by his colleagues have revealed that Syabas failed to maintain the water pumps, equipment and security levels at the treatment plants as well as water tanks owned by the state government.

“We feel that the company has failed to effectively supply water to people in Selangor, Kuala Lumpur and Putrajaya,” he said in a statement this evening.

Xavier also questioned Putrajaya’s haste to build the Langat 2 plant without co-operation of the state government.

“We are unsure whether the federal government leaders understand and appreciate the concept and moral system of ‘federalism’ as provided in the (Federal) Constitution.

“The right to water resources, forests, rocks and minerals and affairs involving the land is under state government jurisdiction,” he said.

The Malaysian Insider previously reported that the federal government will not consider the Selangor state government’s request to take over the operations of Syabas due to, among others, an ongoing court case.

According to the Energy, Green Technology and Water Ministry, a lawsuit has been filed by Syabas to seek compensation as the Selangor state government has not agreed on raising the water tariffs in Selangor, Kuala Lumpur and Putrajaya since 2009.