ALOR STAR: Kedah Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Ahmad Bashah Md Hanipah today said issue of payment for raw water does not arise as Penang had rejected talks on shared responsibility to manage and protect the Ulu Muda Forest Reserve.
In brushing off Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng's claims that Penang was suffering from floods despite paying Kedah for raw water sourced from Sungai Muda, he said the DAP-led state government was the one that had rejected the talks, proposed by the previous Pas-led administration.
"The state government helmed by Lim never agreed to discuss on payment...Thus, where does this issue of certain amount of payment being made to Kedah came from?," he said in a statement today.
Bashah said that Lim, in bringing up the raw water payment issue, appeared to be trying to quell Penangites' anger who were just recovering from the recent major floods that claimed seven lives and forced the evacuation of thousands of people.
"Honestly, I have no interest in interfering with Penang's administration let alone matters that involved development projects which are said to be among the factors leading to the disaster.
"Leave it to Lim to handle the affairs...there are still time to fix any mistake if any and this applies to all of us who are entrusted with huge responsibilities.
"We should take responsibilities instead of pointing fingers at others," he said.
Meanwhile, Kota Darul Aman state assembly coordinator Syed Abdul Hafiz Syed Mustapa described Lim's statement as 'desperate'.
He said the Penang government should be more alert in facing potential natural disasters.
"Lim has to clear the air on several projects which were approved without taking into account the construction regulations including land studies under Department of Environment's supervision.
"He is trying to divert the people's attention on the matter by linking the massive floods which hit the state recently with the Kedah government.
"He even lied to the people in saying that Penang has to pay Kedah government for the raw water when in truth the state never paid a single sen." he said in a statement.