Kelantan water woes do not require RM8 billion to solve - Rafizi

KOTA BHARU - The Kelantan state government does not need RM8 billion to solve the water issues in the state, Economic Affairs Minister Rafizi Ramli said.

The state only required another water treatment plant at a cost of RM1.5 billion, he added.

"The production of treated water by existing treatment plants stands at around 500 million litres a day while daily demand for treated water in Kelantan is at 600 million litres.

"With an additional water treatment plant, which will hopefully be approved, water production will stand at 700 litres a day,” he told reporters after attending the Madani roadshow for Pasir Tumboh state constituency in Kampung Parit Limbat here today.

When asked to provide details on the RM8 billion request, Rafizi said the state government had suggested constructing five water treatment plants to solve the state’s water issue.

"During meetings, we had said that we don’t see the need for RM8 billion as existing water treatment plants can produce 500 million litres of treated water daily, we are ready to consider another plant with an allocation of RM1.5 billion that will raise treated water production to 700 million litres a day,” he said but cautioned that the allocation was still being fine-tuned.

"If approved, the RM1.5 billion is an addition to the RM500 million announced by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim and the RM1 billion by Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi previously,” he added. - BERNAMA