PENANG SURRENDERING OF ITS WATER SUPPLY

KOTA KINABALU : The Penang government's decision to surrender the state's control of its water supply to the Umno-controlled Federal government for RM600 million called into question DAP's ability in protecting state rights.

"DAP sold Penang's water supply operations to the Federal government just so that its accounts looked good for a while, only to show a 248 million ringgit deficit a year after," Datuk Richard Yong said in a statement.

Richard who is the Secretary-General of Sabah Progressive Party (SAPP), said the Penang state government's extravagance has brought it on the verge of bankruptcy as it does not have other assets such as timber, oil palm, petroleum or land from which to derive cash.

Richard described the selling price of Penang's water supply operations to the Federal government was a "paltry sum" compared to the RM9.65 billion the PR-PKR Selangor government offered to buy back the State's water supply operations from four companies.

"Penang water rights are even more precious because Penang needs water, it is a small island and so water is scarce. Penang surrendered its water rights, water assets and water supply to BN-UMNO at only 1/16 of the price of Selangor.

"The sale (of Penang's water supply operations) shows DAP's lack of vision and its willingness to sacrifice the people's interest for short term political posturing.

"DAP in Penang operates like (Sabah Chief Minister) Musa Aman who turned public land such as court house land, library land, central market into commercial purposes,  the State train station land became private properties," Richard contended. "It exposes a scandalous administration."

Richard urged Sabah voters to use the events in Selangor and Penang to gauge the likelihood of Sabah resources being "sold" by DAP if it were to be leading the state government after the 13th general elections. Sabah will become the milking cow to save Penang. Sabah's water rights will most likely suffer the same fate like that of Penang.

The statement went on to say that SAPP's pledge to regain autonomy for Sabah is intended to protect the state's resources which are being plundered directly by Federal leaders or squandered by self-serving Sabahan politicians.