Syabas to issue water bills without rebates - The Star

PUTRAJAYA: June 5, 2008

Syarikat Bekalan Air Selangor Sdn Bhd (Syabas) will continue to issue utility bills to consumers without any subsidy or reduction at the end of this month.

This is because the company had yet to receive any written order or undertaking from either the state or the federal government to pay for the 20m cubic of free water promised to consumers.

Its chief executive officer Datuk Ruslan Hassan said so far, Syabas had had only limited discussions with the Selangor Government on the matter of free water.

"We also haven't had any discussion with the federal government on it. At the same time, discussions with the Selangor Government have not produced any result relating to legal matters, costs and approval from the federal government.

"Therefore, until Syabas receives a written order from Selangor and the federal government or an undertaking from Selangor or any state agency to pay us for the 20m cubic, we will continue to issue water bills to consumers like usual, without any reduction or subsidy," he said Thursday in a statement here.

Ruslan was responding to a statement from Selangor Mentri Besar Tan Sri Khalid Ibrahim that the water rebate, which went into effect on June 1, was on and that it would be reflected in this month's bill.

The Mentri Besar had also said on Sunday that Syabas had already agreed to abide by the decision.

Ruslan said Syabas' policy on this matter was clear in that the water it supplied was governed by the privatisation agreement it had signed previously with the Selangor and federal governments.

"According to this agreement, Syabas is only allowed to supply water to consumers based on water rates that have been gazetted.

"So, any action that will be taken by Syabas will not only need approval from the Selangor government but the Water Services Commission and the Energy, Water and Communications Ministry on the federal government's behalf," he said.

Ruslan said Syabas' billing operations would continue as usual and that consumers were advised to pay their bills according to the sum stated.

"We will inform the public of any change from time to time," he said.

He said those who had enquiries could contact the company's 24-hour customer service centre at 1-800-88-5252 for further explanation.