MELAKA: The Melaka state government and the Water, Land and Natural Resources Ministry are coordinating the state’s water management plan to ensure there is adequate raw water supply during the monsoon season.
Chief Minister Adly Zahari said the coordination would also include the implementation of medium and long-term plans including the proposal to turn the seafront in Melaka as an alternative source of water in the state, especially in urban areas.
Adly said this was because water consumption in urban areas was higher than in rural areas as there were various tourist attractions, hotels and restaurants.
“The initiative to make the state’s waterfront as a “reservoir” is a measure that will help solve the water supply crisis in the state in the long run, perhaps in the next 50 years.
“This has been done in many developed countries and Melaka can do it. It has the ability but it needs to be done in accordance with the area involved,” he said after the State Monthly Assembly here today.
Adly said the state government would also review the use of river water, especially in Sungai Duyong and Sungai Malim, as one of its raw water sources, especially in urban areas.
Meanwhile, he said efforts were being made to ensure that water supply to the state dams in Durian Tunggal and Jus could be improved through the transfer or pumping of water from Sungai Gersik in Johor and Tasik Biru in Chinchin, Jasin, here.
In another development, he said the application for the purchase of houses in the state especially for terrace houses or affordable houses (RMM) had to be “screened” as there was a high demand.
This was also because the prices offered in Melaka were the lowest in the country at around RM153,000 per unit, followed by Perlis and Kedah, he said.
He said this had been certified by the Valuation and Property Services Department and the Finance Ministry on the real estate market in Melaka for the first quarter of this year.
He said the low price was due to various new models of houses being built in the state such as Rumah Harapan, and the state government would continue to make the prices more competitive for the people of the state.
“We have to filter applications for RMM and medium-cost units as they are easier to sell and are in high demand not just from people in Melaka, but also from those outside the state. However the priority is for those from Melaka,” he said.-Bernama